WE are 11 years away from the bicentenary of the Stockton Darlington Railway. How does the town intend to celebrate?

The eyes of the world will be upon us. This is exactly the sort of project lottery money is used for is it not?

Pease’s House, in Houndgate, is in need of some thoughtful restoration. A traditional set of timber sash cord windows should be commissioned to replace the existing windows.

Otherwise what will visitors to the town think of us if they see the house in that state?

Residents in the West End, with trees which have grown too big in their gardens, are being prevented from cutting them down. New varieties of fast growing conifer trees no more than 50 years old had preservation orders slapped on them in the 1980s.

On the other hand our most historic buildings are being randomly altered. Have the local authority planners and planning committee lost their sense of priorities?

Nigel Boddy, Darlington.