WE don t normally write to the papers, but two things around the proposed Mereham development of 5,000 houses near Stretham and Wiburton have outraged us recently. The first that Matthew Chard, employed by Stannifer Developments Ltd, said at the Mereham p

WE don't normally write to the papers, but two things around the proposed Mereham development of 5,000 houses near Stretham and Wiburton have outraged us recently.

The first that Matthew Chard, employed by Stannifer Developments Ltd, said at the Mereham public enquiry that the land that Stannifer wants to develop is featureless, monotonous and characterless, and that building on it will improve its landscape value.

This is totally subjective and consequently unprofessional, and anyone could just as easily refute this. To us, this shows just how deeply Stannifer and its paid consultants have misunderstood local opinion. If you live in this landscape it is very likely because you like and appreciate it as it is, rather than want to see it covered in "featureless, monotonous and characterless" houses of the type that Stannifer (or whoever they eventually sell the planning permissions to) want to build.

The second is the assertion from the developers that you can travel - in peak times - between Stretham roundabout and the Milton roundabout on the A10 in a car in an average of 13 minutes. This is absolute rubbish and we are astounded as to how this could even be put forward, let alone be taken seriously.

We've timed our journey on the A10 for the last two weeks, taking great care to start timing when we're on the roundabout at both ends, and our best time so far is 21 minutes. Our worst is 45 minutes. That's without another 12,000 cars, many of which are likely to want to use the A10 as the 'quick' way to Cambridge. If the developers are producing such unbelievable figures on journey times on the A10 now, why should anyone believe them when they assert on their website that "delays in general will be kept at or below the levels which would be experienced if the new community did not go ahead"?

We will keep saying 'No to Mereham', and standing up for local democracy that has thrown this proposal well and truly out. We need houses in Cambridgeshire but we support the considered views of our council and not the selfish, ill thought-out, money grabbing scheme that the Stannifer proposal clearly is.

KATHLEEN ROSEWARNE and IAN BARTON

Stretham