SIR

I refer to the recent letter from Peter Morris of Steppes Farm alleging departures from planning policy in the grant of planning permission for a retirement dwelling, the applicant being Cllr Ruth Edwards, chair of the planning committee, and her husband.

A complaint has been lodged by Mr Morris and is being investigated, which is the correct way to deal with such allegations.

In advance of the outcome of the investigation I am very disappointed that criticism, as yet unsubstantiated, should be so publicly aired.

Even at this stage however, I would stress that the planning process was very open, and that because the application was submitted by a county councillor, the application had to be reported to full planning committee, the members of which had inspected the site, and that Cllr Edwards took no part in the decision making process.

The officer report to committee was informed by advice from an external agricultural consultant, and I have no reason to believe that proper procedures were anything other than followed in granting planning permission.

George Ashworth

(Head of Planning, Place and Enterprise, Monmouthshire County Council)