THE headline ‘Planners to decide on 200 new homes’ (Echo, Sept 2) was misleading.

The Church Commission has applied for planning permission to build homes on land off Station Road, in Coxhoe.

Planners do not decide anything but simply oversee a meaningless consultation process similar to that carried out recently in connection with the County Plan.

A thorough check will already have been made to ensure that none of the councillors who will consider the planning application are personally affected by ‘loss of view’ or ‘de-valuation of property’ and the application will be approved.

As a result, in their obsession for more housing in Coxhoe, another greenfield site will be lost forever, and a totally inappropriate access will be introduced onto a purposebuilt bypass, something which, years ago, would never have been considered.

A further access for the Church Commissioners land should be good for a bit more traffic chaos in Station Road.

Hopefully, the councillors will, at least, have the sense to query the suggestion that 212 homes will produce a mere 40 extra pupils for the local primary school and consider this with other current and future housing proposals.

Alan Cuthbertson, Coxhoe.