Phillip Anderson completely misses the point in his letter regarding Castlemill boatyard (Oxford Mail Letters, August 11).
His accusations of selfish protectionism by Philip Pullman and others are groundless and highly misinformed.
Yes, our city does need affordable housing but those who wish to save Castlemill yard are in no way preventing housing being built, neither are they keeping the city to themselves. In fact they do quite the opposite.
Though the Save Castlemill Campaign wishes to retain an element of a boatyard on the site, we do not wish to prevent housing being built on the site, as is the constant suggestion by many.
We believe it is possible to create a lively community, shop, caf, boatyard and have the same number of houses as the British Waterways/ Bellway proposal. We welcome a new influx of people.
By keeping the boatyard here, it would add value and character to a housing development on the site and continue to forge links between the canal and the growing community.
We urge British Waterways to adhere to their duty of maintaining the canal heritage and to work with the local community by listening to the 2,000 people that have signed the petition to retain a boatyard at Castlemill. ADRIAN ARBIB, Save Castlemill Boatyard Campaign, Warnborough Road, Oxford
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