Thanks you for your timely story about the proposed new Dartmouth Museum extension.

On reading it, I was immediately driven to put in an objection to the district council, only to find that the reference given, 2550/18/FUL, bounced off the SHDC site as “no record”?

So I then tried the West Devon planning search with better luck – why no automatic forwarding to South Hams’ ‘twinned’ West Devon planning department?

Though, I read in your article that Historic England has already given the plans for this eyesore “its full approval, as it will enliven the street”. Really? Is that some kind of sick joke?

What with the daily traffic of large and small vans delivering stock to the rear of most of the shops on that side of Duke Street and the possibility of an unhappy coming together of a heavy vehicle and those proposed three horrid, angled supports holding up the glass boxes –?possibly with people in them – doesn’t bear thinking about.

Also I note the cappings and rainwater goods are to be “powder coated aluminium”. Good luck with that idea. What with Dartmouth’s salty atmosphere, gently assisted by seagull droppings, they should last at least a few months.

Ask any boat builder. What’s wrong with lead or perhaps copper, or even fibreglass?

Anyway let’s hope there is still a chance the whole plan can yet be totally rehashed, with something more in keeping with our lovely old town.

Keith Baigrie

Chapel Lane, Stoke Fleming