Sir – It was depressing to read that the Liberal Democrats in Oxford want to put Grenoble Road (the 4,000-house urban extension in the Green Belt) back on the agenda (Report, July 22). CPRE Oxfordshire recognises that Oxford has serious housing issues — along with practically every other part of Oxfordshire.

We also want the Government to provide effective national planning guidance, but this must not ride roughshod over local environmental concerns. Isn’t that what “localism” should be about?

Many people believe the strategy the city has been promoting is simply not sustainable, with ever-increasing economic growth and ever-increasing student numbers all contributing to the pressures we see today. The planning priority should be to achieve a better balance between city’s housing and employment — not pushing for endless growth. Instead of resurrecting the Grenoble Road proposals, we would urge the Liberal Democrats to concentrate on making sure that:

1: The 9,000 homes (without Grenoble Road) identified in the City Draft Core Strategy to 2026 are delivered — hardly “nowhere to build”

2: A high proportion of those homes are made affordable (50 per cent is probably justified) and vital Government funding for affordable housing in the city is not cut back

3: The five districts and county council all work together on a sustainable strategy for the city and central Oxfordshire which tackles local housing issues, while protecting the Green Belt and the countryside.

Dr Helena Whall, Campaign manager, CPRE Oxfordshire