SIR,

I would like to thank local councillors Richard Bond and Bob Haywood for holding a drop in session at the tourist information centre last Saturday.

The purpose of the session was to help the people of Monmouth understand what impact the Local Development Plan (LDP) could have on the infrastructure of our town.

A considerable amount of land appears to have been put forward for development within several miles of the town centre and one wonders who locally, apart from those selling the land and the developers wanting to build upon it, actually want another 500-800 extra houses built in Monmouth. I was flabbergasted to learn that Monmouth is expected to accommodate this number of properties and can't help wondering what the people buying these houses are actually going to do for employment. One vision of the LDP was to "reduce reliance on the private motor car" I fail to see how this can be achieved as anybody moving into the town will almost certainly need to travel to find employment. (Can anyone remember the last time there was more than a handfull of local jobs advertised in the Beacon?)

I was also concerned by the apparent disregard for maintaining our area of natural beauty, one that attracts numerous visitors every year, a number of which come here to walk along Offa's Dyke, one of only 12 designated National Trails in the country. And why we might require a third golf course I can't begin to imagine.

It is important that anybody wishing to express a view (for or against) the potential development of our town realises they must do so before the plans are finalised and time is running out.

Representations must be made in writing before 17th July and should be sent to the Development Plans Team, Monmouth County Council, County Hall, Cwmbran NP44 2XH. I also understand there will be another drop in session at the Tourist Information Centre (next to the Nelson Museum) next Saturday.

If you would like to see just how much of our local landscape is being offered up for development I urge you to pop in, take a look at the maps and decide for yourself. I for one will be making my thoughts known!

A concerned

Monmouth resident