Readers' letters - July 11

Proposals regarding the future development of the city are always contentious since a balance must be struck between the understandably parochial and self-centred instincts of those immediately impacted by change and the wider community needs and benefits.

The development proposed for the former golf course site in Ingol is a case in point.

As a Fulwood resident, I enjoy being able to use the public right of way alongside Ingol golf course. I can understand why local residents, whose own houses were built on green field land, want to deny others the opportunity to encroach on what they perceive as their space.

However, the revised proposal currently before the planning committee is a good one, both for the city as a whole and is also the best long-term option for the local residents too.

The owner of what is effectively private land with limited public rights of way is including, within his proposal, a gift to the city of 60 per cent of the land as a public green space. This is a green space larger than any of Preston’s current parks and secures long-term protection for extensive parkland in the north of the city.

The limited scale residential development alongside this will provide much needed housing, including more affordable accommodation, which will be welcomed by young families. The proposed training centre will assist the city’s football club in their ambition for Premiership football. Evidence elsewhere points to the benefits that would accrue in jobs, investment, profile and wellbeing.

The proposed development is streets ahead of other traditional housing developments in offering a balance of sports facilities, housing and new public green space, facilities which will be enjoyed by all the people of Preston. It would be wrong to allow less than 300 residents, however understandable their desire to say no to any change, to have a veto on a development which will benefit the whole city.

John P

Fulwood

traffic

Pensioners hit in the pocket

Why is it that the most vulnerable people in society (ie the pensioners) get hit the most in their pocket?

Theresa May threatened to take away the fuel allowance which helps thousands of pensioners who need it.

Forget about the richest pensioners. She would have taken it away from most.

If you are unsteady on your feet you can’t get mobility allowance, yet if you are younger you can.

To top it all, my brother, who is 86, has had £225 added to his car insurance on renewal. He contacted several insurance companies who wouldn’t even accept him at all, even though he is accident free and does less than 3,000 miles a year.

In desperation, he contacted Age UK who, as far as I am aware, is there to look after the interest of older people.

They quoted him over £3,000 which is three times his renewal quote.

Why should the good older drivers, who rely on a car to get around, be penalised for the bad driving of the younger driver?

As an 84-year-old pensioner myself, I feel these quotes are so ridiculous that they are almost unbelievable and I am dreading my renewal coming through the letter box.

Malcolm Shedlow

Address supplied

traffic

Highway Code now optional?

Is it me?

Just this past week I’ve been subjected to rude gestures from a tailgater for slowing down at a roundabout to check nothing was coming from the obscured right (good idea having overgrown grass on roundabouts so you can’t see what’s coming, by the way – nice touch, that), and angrily waved at by some other motorist overtaking me on Gatso road markings while I was doing 27mph in a 30mph zone.

They must have crawled past, in their urgency, at 29mph – and had exasperated arms lifted aloft at me from behind while I stopped at a RED light (!).

I must have missed the Act of Parliament that rendered the Highway Code optional and made impatience and stupidity compulsory.

T Ithebarn

via email

EUROPE

Poor record, poor Brexit?

On this Sunday’s The Andrew Marr Show (July 9), David Lidington, the Minister of Justice, gallantly defended his boss Theresa May against possible attacks on her leadership. One of the topics covered was the current terrible state of the Prison Service.

He deftly side-stepped questions on the impact of the savage staffing cuts of officers since 2010.

What was not mentioned by him or the interviewer was the fact that the PM, in her six-year tenure as Home Secretary, had overall responsibility for this service.

Her failure was surely on a par with her claim to reduce the immigration figures to the tens of thousands. What chance for a good Brexit from her with that record?

Denis Lee

Ashton

POVERTY

40p for tube

of toothpaste

Thankfully, I have never needed a food bank.

I have donated to them, as I do to the charity shops.

My mini diva grows out of clothes so fast it’s difficult to keep up, so I like to see his clothes put to good use.

It must take some courage to approach a food bank, as who wants to admit they can’t feed themselves or their kids?

I heard that children are not brushing their teeth as the parents can’t afford the brush or toothpaste, so food banks are desperate for more supplies. Now, I buy Colgate for £1 and three brushes for £1, but in the supermarket you can buy toothpaste for 40p. It’s the shop’s own brand but it cleans your teeth. These items are as expensive or as cheap as you make them.

Jayne Grayson

via email

care

Good nursing homes do exist

We hear so much recently about poor care in nursing homes, I would like to put the record straight.

My wife, who suffers from dementia, is now in a home in Ingol. The care she is receiving is wonderful, the staff are great, and nothing is too much trouble.

I consider myself very lucky to have found this home for my wife.

It shows there are good homes out there, it’s not all negative.

G B Cookson

Hoghton

gratitude

Caring attention on stressful day

I recently attended the Emergency Care Unit at Royal Preston Hospital for a D.V.T. (Deep Venous Thrombosis ) check, and I can’t thank the staff enough for the caring attention and treatment I received on what was a rather stressful day!

Thank you very much!

Susan Lowe

Fulwood