B Hall, of Bishopsteignton, writes:

So Mr Sanders, the MP for Torbay, thinks that we are going to be empowered to decide which areas we want to protect from development, he paints a very rosy picture.

But I suggest that is not the government's agenda at all.

Your paper stated that 'the district has been told it must deliver 16,000 new houses by 2026' – where is the local decision making in that? Who worked it out and how? How much is local need ?

It is all over the national press that the government wants to fast-track much building development to create economic growth and by overruling previous protection of countryside.

But it is to be hoped that Mr Sanders is correct and that local councillors will act in force, as he says, to protect their wards from undesirable development before the public have their say on the draft plan next month.

The government aim is to build our way out of economic stagnation (largely a global cycle) by targetting population increase and infrastructure expansion.

This will radically alter our district from semi-rural to urban with particular fear for the coastal tourist area.

On the South Devon Link Road not all bypass schemes are equally desirable.

Mr Sanders' Lib Dem colleague in government, Norman Baker, responsible for transport, is on record as strongly in favour of expanding public transport over car use and building new roads.MORE LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION