I see that our Heritage Foundation still funds full page adverts to promote their grand town centre scheme. Flogging a dead horse springs to mind! I have yet to meet anyone in favour of this development. However, I thought I would read through these new s

I see that our Heritage Foundation still funds full page adverts to promote their grand town centre scheme.

Flogging a dead horse springs to mind! I have yet to meet anyone in favour of this development.

However, I thought I would read through these new statements carefully as I know from town centre traders that many dispute the Heritage Foundation's claims.

Two points really require additional attention.

1. They say there will be adequate car parking for the bigger stores and the extra customers they hope will use them. They also state that they will be following the advice of the Deputy Prime Minister's office for the number of spaces they have to allocate for the 180-plus new flats in the development. Yet they fail to state that this advice allows them to build flats within a town centre development with no allocation per flat. So there will be upwards of 220 residents' cars without parking places.

2. They also state that the costs of the development will not cost taxpayers a penny. Who do they think they are fooling? This is going to cost all retailers (who are tax payers) a considerable amount in higher rent and rates. Not just those within the development but every shop in the town. This will force retailers to charge Letchworth residents (tax payers) higher prices to meet these higher charges. At the meeting at the Spirella, the Mr. Kenny estimated a revenue increase of 30%. It seems we will actually be paying a very high price for a very long time.

Please refurbish the town and reface the buildings in Arena as they have done with the ICL building. But do not knock it all down and build something which is just not Letchworth. This is a special town, a joy to shop in. I find levels of customer service unheard of in centres such as Milton Keynes and Stevenage. I would be deeply saddened to lose this and have to shop elsewhere.

Mrs KETT, Letchworth resident and consumer

* In regard to Letchworth's proposed town centre development, I hope the Heritage Foundation shows some original initiative, as did Sir Ebenezer in 1903.

Rather than bulldoze the old buildings such as The Wynd, for more car spaces and roads, why not build a tramway to the edge of Letchworth, near Jubilee Road for Park and Ride?

Sir Ebenezer Howard did not have to deal with cars, as they had only just been invented in 1900, so what would he do today?

He would preserve the town centre as cars pose certain problems with noise, pollution, and danger to pedestrians.

O J HOLLIS, Ordelmere, Letchworth Garden City