Do we need more houses?

Dear Editor,

The East Kilbride News tells of further development being granted at Redwood Avenue for yet more houses (Housing boomtime, September 5).

I put it to you: Do we need any more houses?

I feel many many in East Kilbride would say no. We want now to retain our ever-dwindling green spaces.

Gone are hamlets like Thorntonhall, Jackton, Newlands and not happy with that, Auldhouse is in their sights.

The people of our town now are finding it hard to find any space to excercise our pets – Calderglen is oversubscribed.

And now the council has granted planning permission on an old doggywalking favourite, Philipshill, for yes; even more houses.

The members of South Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee continue to pat themselves on the back at granting these developments so the question is what immediate action are they taking to improve a now tired road infrastructure?

But top of the list is how University Hospital Hairmyres will cope with a huge influx of people. The staff are at breaking point. What contingency plans have they drawn up for what must be a large increase in patients?

The question is what do we need? 1) Council houses for our young; 2) Manufacturing back in the town to provide employment for all (and no more retail parks); and 3) A major improvement in the town centre.

The list is endless but for the sake of the future of our town we cannot allow the people that we voted in to destroy what once was a lovely place to live.

I recently emailed my concerns to the head of South Lanarkshire Council and my local councillor but I did not receive any response.

The time must come to say stop and put it right.

Stewart Lawson, via email