Sir – With all the flooding of homes in the past two months, the London developer O&H properties has put in its planning application to the Vale of White Horse District Council to build 93 homes in Sutton Courtenay (Herald, January 13), knowing full well the green field site is prone to severe flooding.

The Vale has said it will issue a decision on the application by March 28, taking two months to decide. Have lessons been learnt? No doubt the houses will sell out quickly.

Mr G Cherry
Cullum Road
Wheatley

Sir – For many years now I have read stories in the Herald concerning planning applications by developers for house building which residents think should be resisted – the latest being ‘Flooding field could host housing estate’ (January 13) for Sutton Courtenay.

These articles always include a comment: “The Vale is forced to accept these plans because they do not have a local development plan in place”. My mental response every time is: Why not? 

I am aware that work is currently in progress to correct this, but it would be interesting to many of us why this action is five-10 years too late, allowing countless unwanted developments through, which could have been effectively opposed. Please tell us.

Paul Longworth
Laurel Crescent
Grove