Yet again, two proposed major housing developments get “the green light” (Times, August 5).

Why can’t such plans get the red light for once? 

I thought that the system of planning permission was to, in some cases, reject proposals for large new estates. 

And yet almost every time a developer makes a proposal for a large new development, the people at Braintree Council capitulate and let the developers have their way. 

Despite there often being major local opposition to such schemes, with issues such as no space in schools and doctors’ surgeries, water extraction, wildlife habitat loss, and all the extra cars on local roads that new housing will generate. And these large new villas do not address the issue of the homelessness epidemic.

The present planning system reminds me of Romania under Ceausescu, and his policy of “systematisation.” 

Massive new towns built, others had old buildings replaced by modern concrete ones. Small villages were swept away, with new settlements built for collective farm workers. (Although in this country we simply kill the villages by closing their pubs and shops, so that they just become masses of houses). 

In Romania then, being totalitarian, local people were given no choice at all. In Romania, the state directly implemented their planning policies, whereas in this country, the Government’s rich chummies implement the state policies on the Government’s behalf.

If you asked me “Who rules Britain?” I would not say the Conservatives or the Queen, but all the major property developers.

Sue Burden
St James Road
Braintree