Martin L. Heath, of

Southdowns Road.

Dawlish, writes:

Madness or ignorance? That was my reaction to last weeks (2 Sept.) front page story. It is not just the emotive picture of farmer Andrew Goodridge's crop of wheat; but knowing that is the last crop to grow there before it is turned into a crop of houses.

You may be someone who thinks that it is good to build new homes. I have no problem with new homes either! The problem I do have is whether or not they are in the right place. As the author of the book, 'Earth and the Genesis Code', I find it hard to comprehend why we are losing good farming land up and down the country, to building plots!

I would like to just bring to the attention of all your readers, just a few facts from the book. In about 10 to 20 years, climate change will probably mean that food prices will be far higher then they are now, even allowing for inflation. In fact, food could even be in short supply. We import close on half of all our food now. We have an ever growing population. These three facts alone point to the perfect storm ahead, all coming together at about the same time. And we will be at the mercy of all three, if we carry on selling much of our farm land and green field sites.

This could accelerate as the planning laws are about to be changed, to make it easier to get planning consent. The other things are just as important, such as: is there enough hospitals, doctors, school places? The answer to that is mostly, NO.

I have been told by the government that they have, 'No population policy.' I believe we do not have a housing crisis, but a population crisis! Just like the roads, (the more roads we build, the more cars appear). The more homes are build, without a population policy, the more homes will be needed!

My conclusion is that both planning laws and policies, governments and local councillors, are both mad and ignorant of what this all means for the future, as regards to food prices and environmental stress? What do you think?