I OBJECT to the building of new houses at the end of Sparrow Hall Drive in Darlington (Echo, Dec 10).

The increased traffic the proposed 142 new dwellings would bring would create a significant increase in traffic in the area.

There was a nasty accident recently where a boy was knocked over and nearly died, and I would hate to see an increased risk of accidents.

Access to the doctors’ surgery for ambulances could also be negatively affected by extra traffic.

With my four-year-old son, I have to cross the road daily to Asda, the surgery and Whinfield school. The traffic is already extremely busy. Crossing the road is already a worry for me and many parents and elderly residents.

Increased housing will make this worse. There will also be an increase in pollution from car fumes – my wife and family already have asthma as well as many other local residents.

When there are record numbers of shops and retail spaces shutting in the town centre, why can’t these buildings be repurposed for housing? We are desperate to have people in our town centres, so why not have them live there?

We need to save the green spaces for people to enjoy and use, to improve their mental and physical health, to reduce the impact of climate change, and to protect the wildlife – there are many bats around that area, and I have seen newts in the marsh in front of the farm house.

Where do Darlington Borough Council’s figures about the large demand for housing come from, when there have already been many houses built in the last few years and more on the way? Surely this is council tax farming at the expense of the environment.

M Gardner, Darlington