It's great living here in Wells, I'm new to the smallest city, and I am happy every day with my surroundings and the people I've met here. Now I've heard that plans are afoot to grant planning permission to cover a whole swathe of some of the most beautiful countryside there is, on the city's western edge beyond the Leisure Centre, with a vast new development, eventually joining Wells to Haybridge.

I know more houses will be needed in the Mendip area but should not the first choice be to develop 'brown field' sites rather than tear up productive farmland, much of which appears to be part of a flood defence system, and serves as a recreational resource for many (and habitat for some).

Neighbours suggest that the council has already received incentives to grant planning permission from interested parties, but I am sure that could not be true. In any case , the District Council's 'Time to Plan' document (available at http://tinyurl.com/6fg6g4l) informs me that a meeting (including an exhibition) has already been held in Wells regarding this on 2 March, but a further opportunity to ask questions will be offered on Thursday 10 March, at Wookey Village Hall between 6pm and 8pm.

I'll be there!