SIR - A recent headline in the Herald read ‘The Knowle’s not a gem’. The reason that it could not be listed was given as “...the edges of the historic site have already been eroded by dwellings”. The thin edge of this particular wedge is now being hammered home by the council.

This ‘wedge’ will only stop when most, if not all, of the park is covered with concrete.

The council is calling a proposed industrial site “an employment site”, no doubt a ploy to disguise the effect that such a development will have on the Sidmouth area.

A senior council official is reported as saying “only 900 people turned up for the march!”. Those who attended will know the real number. While assessing crowd numbers is not an exact science, there is a world of difference between 4,000 and 900.

It is actions like this that put a strain on the credibility of the council. It also is the reason that rumours of a conspiracy, and even worse, are beginning to circulate.

I do not know if this is factual or not, but I have been informed that councils receive cash from the Government for every new house that they allow to be built. If this is true, then there is a very strong incentive to build as many dwellings as possible.

I hope that SOS is successful, but I doubt it. The Knowle steamroller is ready to roll. The park is about to suffer the death of a 1,000 cuts (or should that be 1,000 + bricks). After that, what development plans are there being hatched for Sidmouth.

GT Bungay

Woolbrook Road, Sidmouth