ANNETTE ROSSER, of Crowthers Hill, Dartmouth, writes:

As a full-time resident on Crowthers Hill for the past 45 years, I have seen many changes, here and in the town, and gradually the whole ­character of the area is being eroded – but why?

Well, unless I am very much mistaken, very often it is ­second home owners seeking to use a property as an investment, rather than a home, and by not actually living here the resulting destruction of history and character of the location is of no concern to them.

It would seem that conservation areas are as good as ­useless, or South Hams councillors only see them when they want to.

I shall be very interested to see how much the history of Crowthers Hill, and the vital point it played in the visit of the Mayflower 400, is ­recognised – or can it be that South Hams councillors are not aware of that?

The butcher, the horses and cart, the smallholder and the ferryman: everyone who helped provide for the famous journey 400 years ago lived here.

At present it seems this area is not worth conserving. So what is? I wonder.