Housing developments that are the last straw

sir – The last coastal woodland in the St Ives area has just been destroyed; hundreds of buildings are planned for Hayle; and a site of rich ecological diversity has been levelled to accommodate undefined development.

The chances of local first-time buyers getting on the housing ladder continue to diminish. The infrastructure is creaking. When will the penny drop?

Tony Mcgowan

Penzance, Cornwall

sir – Much is being made of our housing crisis, the threat to greenfield land and the need for increased infrastructure – but surely every town in Britain has a solution right at its heart.

The internet has fundamentally changed shopping habits and we are seeing once-mighty shops going into liquidation, their demise hastened by spiralling council taxes.

Which council will grasp this opportunity to redevelop town and city centres and make them the heart of the community again? Return the centres to residential use and bring civilisation back.

Jo Bird

Slapton, Devon