Chris Cole, of Hazel Close, Teignmouth, writes:

May I draw the attention of the good residents of Teignmouth to yet another planning application for residential buildings on the land at the top of Higher Woodway Road.

The latest application 14/00016/OUT, has been submitted by Ms E Lancaster-Thomas while a previous application by INOX (13/02636/MAJ) to develop the land (owned by Dr V Lancaster-Thomas) which was thrown out by the district council on December 16, 2013, by 20 votes to one is now pending possible appeal.

In the latest application, Ms Lancaster-Thomas, in her letter to the Teignbridge Planning Department dated January 15, 2014, states: 'I feel that, even if local residents and councillors would prefer there to be no development on this land, they should consider actively supporting my application (or at best by not opposing it) as the lesser of two evils.'

So, the applicant having acknowledged that both applications are 'evil', I wonder why either was submitted, particularly in view of a statement made to residents of Hazel Close and Higher Woodway when the land owner acquired the land some years ago.  

At that stage he invited the near neighbours to join him on bonfire night to gather round a bonfire in his newly acquired field to watch the fireworks over Teignmouth. He told the assembled company that he had purchased the land to ensure that no one would ever build on it.

The piece of land in question forms a green back drop to our beautiful town. It is a habitat for a great deal of wildlife, has no proper access without ripping up historic hedgerows, is outside the Teignbridge Plan, and is, in my opinion, totally unsuitable for building on.

Each time an application is made to build on this site it has to be fully considered by the town council, the district council etc etc, all of which costs council tax payers money.

Sadly the applicants do not seem to understand the word no.

I may be accused of being biased as I live close to the proposed development. However, why not look up the application on the Teignbridge planning website, form your own opinion and write to the planning officer. Doing nothing should not be an option.MORE LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION