Dr. Richard Rawlins, honorary secretary, of Kingswear Action on Rail and Riverboat Development, writes:

The recent article on the development of a multi-storey office block at Kingswear Station needs correction. You state 'the office complex was built on the site of an old signal box next to the listed Kingswear railway station.' That is wrong. The signal box was at the far end of the platform – a mistake which was also made by SHC officers and which was corrected by councillor Hawkins in 2011. If the railway company had developed that site we would probably not have had the problems we have had. As it is, the office went up without permission in Kingswear's only listed building.

The secretary of state has said this did not raise national issues. A remarkable decision which means that listed building status now provides no meaningful protection against the ambitions of developers whatsoever. They can take the view of 'we'll develop and you be dammed' – reasonably expecting councillors will acquiesce. At a SHC development management committee meeting councillor Bastone said: 'This development would never have been allowed had permission been sought in the first place.' No councillor demurred from his view.

You quote Mr. Pooley, the company's chief executive as saying '...we did everything correctly.' If so, why then did he eventually apply for planning permission? The local Government ombudsman has said SHC were wrong to have allowed him to think he did not need permission. The secretary of state has taken nearly a year to ponder the issues.

SHC is now trying to put its house in order by working more closely and efficiently with West Devon Council and declares it will have 'customer-focussed teams of officers who will work out of the office and more within the community.' Fine, but we will need conscientious councillors who are prepared to hold officers to account for their wrongdoings if those fine intentions are to have practical effect.

We will continue to press SHC to ensure that future developments in Dartmouth and Kingswear conservation areas preserve or enhance the character of our sensitive areas, and that correct planning permissions are obtained before construction and after full consultation.

Meanwhile, the railway company have foregone any goodwill from residents they might have expected and hoped for. Not a good way to run a business. We hope Mr Pooley's successor will show more courtesy to residents.