What kind of vacuum do those responsible for the Kingsbridge quayside development proposals live in?

Although I’m only a ‘blow-in’ of some 30-plus years now, Kingsbridge has become much more than just a place to live. Kingsbridge has one unique geographic feature upon which its entire existence relies, ie its head of the beautiful and unusual estuary position.

This unique environment should be treasured, not desecrated. How on earth can plans to redevelop such a wonderful asset into housing, shops, bars and piazzas be seen as anything other than vandalism?

The council obviously views the area as a cash cow that keeps on giving. Impossible to believe that the present car park now looks the lesser evil.

The rest of the town struggles to survive, so the priority is to make the quayside a commercial centre, thus driving the final nail in the coffin of many businesses. Unbelievable!

Visitors would come from far and wide if this area was sensitively designed as a ­‘winter garden’ and waterside parkland area, where events, festivals and celebrations could be held.

Has the council for one moment considered the possibility that people might be attracted by the sheer absence of cars, kiosks and bars and all the other paraphernalia of trendy urban redevelopments?

Kingsbridge is not urban and needs to retain its rural/marine atmosphere above all else. If ever there were an argument for a hands-off approach to redevelopment, this is it.

Councils and private ­developers alike regularly and ­cynically employ the ­‘affordable housing’ argument ­whenever seeking approval for their profit-driven plans, but their willingness, in this case, to forever sacrifice Kingsbridge’s most enduring public asset ­cannot go unchallenged. The call to “Save Our Quayside” should go out loud and clear from this moment on.

The council’s online survey is a nonsense. It makes huge assumptions as to what it thinks we are all prepared to put up with. To suggest that choosing between a three-

or five-story development ­constitutes democratic ­consultation is disingenuous and insults our intelligence. This issue is bigger and more fundamental than that.

Mick Cartwright

Fosse Road

Kingsbridge