FURTHER to David Scorah's letter in the Wetherby News of June 27 in response to proposals by Lister Haigh to build an eco town at Deighton Grange, and other developments close to the periphery of Kirk Deighton village, it is to be hoped that the independent inspector who is to pronounce on these plans has read the article in the respected financial journal Money Week of May 28, 2008.

In a well researched and referenced investigation the article highlights the collapse of the housing market (eg Bovis admits that sales are coming in 70 per cent lower than last year and Persimmon is reported to have stopped buiding new houses altogether).

Furthermore Money Week points out that the Empty Homes Agency estimates that there are 840,000 empty homes in Britain, and the National Land Use figures indicate that a further 420,000 homes could be established in disused commercial properties in England. All this compelling evidence calls into question the necessity for building vast new estates on open countryside on Kirk Deighton's doorstep.