I WAS heartened to read (Gazette, March 22) local councillors and residents are waking up to the fact Halstead cannot sensibly absorb any more large scale developments.

The latest Gladman housing scheme for farmland west of Sudbury Road had so far slipped under the radar, despite Braintree Council granting outline planning consent some while back.

I wouldn't say it had been deliberately hidden but it certainly wasn't much publicised.

This development can bring no real benefit to Halstead.

On top of the Oaks Hill and Willow Park projects, it can do nothing but add to Halstead's problems of traffic congestion, air and noise pollution and the overloading of already struggling GP services, car parking spaces and shopping facilities.

The apparent altruism of Gladman in providing a park and recreational facilities is no more than a poorly disguised attempt to make the proposal look more attractive to council and residents alike.

Halstead already has two parks, neither of which are that much utilised, and, in case anyone failed to notice, Halstead is set amidst the Essex countryside so there is plenty of space for those wanting rural recreation.

No, I'm afraid we are just victims of government policy to build, build, build regardless of the consequences for the towns and villages so adversely affected.

We can only hope someone puts a stop to the lunacy but on past showing I am not optimistic.

M A Heard

Sudbury Road, Halstead