For the past eight years the British Government has failed to be in compliance with the law on air quality.

The Government has lost three cases in the British courts, the most recent three weeks ago.

With this as background you might be surprised that the councils of Braintree, Colchester, Tendring and Essex County Council have chosen West Tey for their biggest garden community.

West Tey is one of the worst places for a large new town with two very busy roads converging, the A12 and the A120 and with the widening of the A12 to three lanes, the possibility of a new A120 and a relief road from Coggeshall to the A12.

Unless there is some form of massive mitigation these councils will be condemning a significant number of residents to an early death.

Air pollution is said to cause 30,000 people to die early each year in Britain. Is this what we want from our councils?

Client Earth, who brought the case against the Government, has joined up with the British Lung Foundation and a group of parents in a desire to improve air quality.

In addition, on March 2, Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer of the UK, called on the Government to do more to reduce air pollution.

This has become a really serious issue and cannot be brushed aside by planners and councils.

Councils are so focused on building houses that they have forgotten that they have an overriding duty to look after its residents health and wellbeing.

By Giles Coode-Adams of Feering