Sir – Not a week passes but we read in The Oxford Times about another housing scheme, new road, incinerator, supermarket or university building which is strenuously opposed by local residents and existing businesses, who want to keep their open spaces or woods or car parks or local shops: in short, the very features of their neighbourhood which make it worth living in.

Not a week passes but a councillor or planner attempts to explain why their electors’ wishes must be subordinated to the expanding aspirations of a rich or powerful institution or developer. Yet these officials are the people we elected, to manage Oxford and Oxfordshire on our behalf. Do they take some sort of mind-altering pill along with their oath of office?

Katy Jennison, Witney