Sir, Rod Paddock’s attack (Herald, November 19) on John Cotton for his approach to the proposed Morrison development in Wallingford is unfair and inaccurate.

The application was strongly opposed by many who felt, and still feel, that it was likely to damage our town centre. The ‘poll’ he cites was a tweeting campaign by supporters which made no attempt to mention, let alone engage with, the downsides.

Conditions were imposed as part of, and as a pre-condition for, agreement after a close-run debate in the planning committee.

These were, and are, designed in part to limit the damage to the town centre. Pettits and Champions, our two anchor shops, are particularly vulnerable to any attempt by Morrisons to sell non-food items on a large scale.

If in doubt, look at the damage Morrisons’ practice here has done to the high street in Kendal and in other places. Mr Cotton may or may not succeed in his attempts to limit non-food sales, but at least let’s understand why he’s trying, and perhaps support him.

Many of us welcome Mr Cotton’s election as leader of SODC because his record in supporting high-quality planning has been so much much more impressive than that of other more supine members of the planning committee.

We believe his role as cabinet member for Wallingford will be important and beneficial for the town as pressures to build more and more houses in our backyards unleashed by the recently undemocratically imposed and most unwelcome Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SMHA).

As the threats to concrete over more and more of our countryside increase, he, and our other elected local SODC councillors, now need to engage much more pro-actively with local citizens on planning issues than in the past. There has been all too little public discussion.

John Gordon

Reading Road

Wallingford