What will happen if Claires Court sells?

I felt impelled to respond to a letter submitted last week.

Mrs Wilkinson (Viewpoint 10th December) may have taken several deep breaths; however, I am left scratching my head as to why she would oppose the Claires Court redevelopment if she had a son attend Ridgeway School? A school community is not a tissue that you throw away after use!

I found her glorification of Cllr Haseler nauseating and happen to agree with the many others who feel his participation in the first application review and the recent appeal, whilst being Chairman of the Royal Borough Development Panel, blurs the lines of integrity. I make no apology for this opinion and any third party would agree. It simply isn't right (or fair on Cllr Haseler) to expect an individual who speaks so strongly on behalf of an opposing group, to give a fair, impartial review of a planning application. No one can wear two hats at once.

With the above in mind, I am rather intrigued to learn more about the opinion of Cllr Haseler and the members of the community group Cox Green Says No (CGSN) on the subject of the other local schools that have been built on greenbelt land in recent years... or is this a case of ‘not on my doorstep’!?

Mrs Wilkinson finds it a mystery as to why the RBWM Highways Department failed to acknowledge the impact on traffic. Well, may I suggest that even after 30 years of road policing experience, the traffic count reports and the photographic evidence provided by Cllr Haseler and CGSN, that it clearly isn't damaging enough to have been a major matter of concern? It speaks volumes when the council and other Highways Agencies do not note it as a reason for objection.

I do feel that the community of Cox Green are being rather naive if they think that the problem will go away if this application is unsuccessful. How wrong. What happens if the school are forced to sell the land; who do they think will purchase it? In all probability, a developer.

I say to CGSN and Mrs Wilkinson – good luck with that fight and maybe you would have been wiser to go with the school.

N. TRAPANI North Town Maidenhead