Sir – As one of 1,700 plus Carterton residents who signed a petition last year against the allocation of houses on a beautiful piece of countryside west of our town, I was heartened to read the letter (Homes bring benefits, February 23).

At last a house-builder is being realistic. Circa 700 homes on the land off Norton Way seems a much more sensible suggestion than 1,000 and perhaps the other 300 can go elsewhere. The concerns of residents in Brize Norton are understandable and it does seems as if their fears about Brize Norton becoming part of Carterton are being addressed by a large buffer of open space of 45 acres which could remain free of further housing for 150 years. Everyone I have spoken to feels that if Carterton is to have more housing, it should go to the east near Shilton Park because the majority of traffic leaving Carterton in the mornings heads out to Witney and Oxford along the A40.

The Carterton East site is surrounded by roads so there is no prospect of more housing as the surrounding highways confine the development.

This realism is in stark contrast to the attitude of some Carterton councillors who early on in the consultation expressed a preference for the west site because, being a larger piece of land, it could not only supply 1,000 homes in the period up to 2026 but over three further local plan periods too.

As it is not contained by roads, as the east is, this could develop into urban sprawl and become a separate community from Carterton, divorced by the Shill Brook which regularly floods. The thought of any houses going on the land west of Upavon Way is abhorrent to so many people in Carterton, hence the petition signed by over 1,700 people living in Carterton.

Not only would such a development destroy a wonderful piece of landscape with its wildlife, but it would deprive thousands of local people the opportunity of enjoying, as they do, the rural bridleways and footpaths.

The thousands of extra traffic movements, either along Upavon Way or through the town centre, is also another valid point for rejecting this crazy plan.

Julie Edgington, Carterton