EILEEN PARKES, of Higher Contour Road, Kingswear, writes:

Further to the article on the need for eight houses in Kingswear, may I ask some questions?

We have land already chosen by South Hams Council and approved at a public inquiry for 15 houses, which include nine affordable homes.

Why do we need more? Land has been released in the village for housing.

The article said that only one third of the village had replied to the survey and only 78 per cent of that third, ie 26 per cent of the village, gave support to provision of affordable housing.

Is this a strong enough mandate for Kingswear Parish Council to be suggesting releasing further land in an area of outstanding natural beauty and coastal preservation, ie Wilful Murder field, especially since it is high up and visible from the river? A dangerous precedent to set.

I have been told the developers of the site at Noss do not want to include any affordable housing there. These have to be provided in the surrounding area.

Is Kingswear being put under pressure to find sites for affordable housing to facilitate these developers? Why do we need nine and another eight?

Can the council assure us our housing is not going to be funded by the Noss development nor that the number of houses sited in Kingswear will count for their quota?

The article states that seven out of the eight homes will be for rent. Was that the need shown in the survey?

I know some people on that list want to buy not rent.

If these houses are not rented by people connected to the village will 'local' mean people from anywhere in the South Hams or even anywhere in Devon?