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LOTS of readers were disappointed to learn that the council refused permission for a watersports centre at Chelford (Express, May 31). Val Fearon: This makes me so cross. Slap unaffordable housing wherever you wish! But try to encourage people to visit the area with a unique facility, provide jobs, and bend over backwards to ensure diversity of wildlife is maintained and it gets turned down yet again. Does someone have their eye on the location for housing, is that why? Keith Townley: Ridiculous...the scheme is perfect for promoting sport, health and fitness that benefits all ages....I’ve followed this from the beginning, the whole process has been handled appallingly. Has my support at Visit Macclesfield as it deliv- ers so many benefits to our town. Lorraine Wilcox: [There are] literally hundreds of houses being built in Congleton. We desperately need stuff like this such a bad decision to refuse planning. Hopefully they will get it approved next time. Nigel Slater: Let’s put 60 affordable (500k) houses on there, that’ll get approved tomorrow... Ralph Melville: The area is crying out for a high quality development like this. Matthew Haigh: They could build more expensive houses on the water. Emily Kate Rocca: Oh what a surprise...what’s the betting they put not so affordable housing there instead Lisa Harrison: So angry about this decision, makes my blood boil. Lesley Johnson: Good on him. Chris Rocca: Don’t give up guys, keep fighting.

THERE was a mixed response to our story with a concerned mum who asked drivers to be more careful when passing horses on the roads (Express, May 24, p2) Kelsie Myers: The amount of times I’ve seen people out on horses on twisty, blind cornered, winding roads which are already congested due to road and bridge closures in the area, at rush hour. And then it’s the poor driver who gets the shame and blame. Roads are for vehicles not horses. Kiomi Walker: Why should horses and riders be bullied off the roads, horses were here long before the engine was. They were the taxis, the family travel, the workers the keepers, the pets when vehicles weren’t even recognised.. now all of a sudden vehicles have some right due to road tax? Don’t both pay equal insurance so therefore both have road right? What’s being said here is the fact some, NOT ALL, drivers don’t think to slow down. Whilst horses are in front approach with caution, it’s common sense .. Would you go through the baboons at Knowsley Safari Park at high speed? No you wouldn’t, you’d approach slowly for good reason... too many people have nasty opinions about horse riders. It isn’t fair to tar all the same just as equally as it isn’t with drivers too. Val Pownall: Maybe if half the bridleways hadn’t been built over it would be less of an issue. How else can horses get from one place to another. They can’t fly. I don’t own a horse and am pretty scared of them. I even stand still if I see a few horses coming up the road when I’m walking so I don’t spook them. Horses are allowed on the roads same as cars. But it is an offence to ride them on the pavement. Janet Smith: Horse owners should be forced to have accident insurance and to train their animals to be safe in traffic or stay off the road as they endanger themselves and other road users if not traffic safe. Christine Elizabeth Panting: Most horse owners DO have accident cover if only public liability. Most horses are safe in traffic but the unexpected can and does happen. They are not machines - they are living breathing creatures and like us things can make them jump. Prim Jayne Ashcroft: Only issue with horses is why can’t owners pick up the horse [mess] like dog owners have to? Otherwise they should be fined for littering. Sam Parker: Horses have just as much right to be on the road as anyone else! Drivers just need to be more sensible when passing them. Janet Reeves: I wish drivers would use the country code, they don’t own the roads. Jonny Seamus: Boils down to impatient people. What’s 5mins out of someone’s day just to wait till its safe to pass. Zoe Shephard: And you normally need to use a road for some part to access a bridle way.

THE issue of loneliness was a hot topic of discussion following last week’s story about Harry Wheeler (Breakfast club to befriend veterans, Express, May 31). Douglas Crawford: I am a paramedic in your town folks and can tell you this is a huge problem. Old people need more than swanky apartments and houses... increasingly I attend (including on the night shift I’ve just finished) elderly people, living on their own as their life partner has died and they aren’t coping. Loneliness manifests itself in many ways.. depression, self neglect and the loss of will to take essential medicines. Speak to them..sometimes that’s all they need! Judith Burrows: It’s all very well paying tribute to a lonely person when they have died but surely he would have benefited more from attention when he was alive? How about adopting a granny/grandad/mum/ dad, depending on your age. Many younger people have lost family elders and would benefit from the relationship just as much as the elderly. Karen Moss: What a brilliant idea. Julia Eardley: Fantastic!!