‘EVESHAM Our Future’ is trying to involve us in shaping our town.

However laudable, surely one of the most powerful forces affecting the nature and ‘feel’ of Evesham is the engulfing tide of house building. Over that, we are all as powerless as King Canute commanding the waves to go back.

The Government’s “presumption in favour of sustainable development” permeates council planning culture like the lettering through a stick of rock. It’s a weasel phrase, easily open to Machiavellian manipulation by developers’ lawyers.

Despite strong local petitions, reasoned arguments and impassioned appeals, up go the houses. ‘Localism’ is a sham (as Shottery and Bishop’s Cleeve have discovered.) So, it’s 500 houses here; 400 there, thousands swamping Evesham and the Vale.

Built with no integrated plans for schools, health services or infrastructure, the consequences for us are inadequate, traffic clogged roads, overcrowded (and now increasingly distant) schools, overstretched and inaccessible hospitals, longer doctor’s waiting times, and ‘diluted’ emergency services etc.

Cameron’s, Bowles’ and Pickles’ policies are really shaping this town, and many others. We read that property firms have given the Conservatives cash gifts totalling £3.3 million over three years.

Many say crony capitalism is at work. I don’t know. The view from here is blocked by more houses going up.

MR C MERRIMAN Evesham