SIR – I do hope that Malcolm Smith (Folly of housing) reads the article in this week s Comet concerning the threat to local rivers caused by over-abstraction. Perhaps he may then have cause to think through the implications of his support for huge central

SIR - I do hope that Malcolm Smith (Folly of housing) reads the article in this week's Comet concerning the threat to local rivers caused by over-abstraction. Perhaps he may then have cause to think through the implications of his support for huge centrally imposed housing figures imposed on Hertfordshire.

When the Government came to power 12 years ago they promised an end to 'predict and provide' housing quotas, yet this is exactly what we are presented with. Mr Smith quotes a recent report which showed that given current trends, UK population may rise to 71 million over the next decade. The key word is 'may', if overseas migration to the UK continues at the same rate, if inward migration to our part of the country continues similarly, who knows? Either way the Government is making very crude assumptions. Yes we need more affordable houses to meet local need but the Government's policy of allowing developers to build two 'market' homes for every 'affordable', is plain dumb.

Mr Smith may not care much for the attractive countryside of Hertfordshire which will be lost for ever, I presume also he never takes a crowded commuter train, sits in traffic jams or is even dimly aware of the pressure on the already straining infrastructure of a county which is already the most crowded in the UK.

Yes Mr Smith, I am a NIMBY and proud of it, I am also a NOTE (not over there either) and will remain so until we see proposals which take account of local need, not centrally imposed targets based on assumptions from those who appear to know little and care less about the local impact of such demands.

GREG LAING

Milestone Road

Knebworth

SIR - Malcolm Smith (letter to Comet November 26) must think people are stupid.

Of course we understand the pressure for more houses. The problem is that this country is overpopulated and the south east is one of the most overpopulated places on earth. Immigration is being pursued for political purposes (or due to incompetence). If more and more houses are built, the increase in population will be made easy. By resisting it we put pressure on politicians to reduce immigration and to create jobs outside the south east. If nothing is done the population of the UK will exceed 70 million by the year 2030, and it will not stop there. The more you have the more you need. Being a nimby is an effective preventative measure, it should be encouraged for the long term benefit of us all.

FRED FILBY

Sheringham Avenue

Stevenage

SIR - While I agree with Malcolm Smith (letters, November 26) that the EERA housing plans should be viewed from a national and long-term perspective, I cannot accept that all those who oppose these proposals are guilty of nimbyism. Indeed I believe that the long-term and national consequences are the strongest reasons to oppose these plans.

The relentless drift of jobs and people down from the north and midlands to the south east is damaging to the country as a whole, leaving towns in the old industrial centres in continuing decline while overloading our stretched resources in this corner of the country. Not only would we be under pressure to find appropriate space for housing, this drift south would also give similar problems in the fields of education and health. If Mr Smith turns the page from his letter, he will see on page 20 the crisis which is already severely straining our water resources.

I feel building on the scale considered by EERA is surrendering to a long-term population drift damaging to north and south alike.

G BOOTH

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