SIR - As the district councillors for Berkeley, Robert Winter and myself do not support the inspector's recommendations of 300 homes to be built on land east of Berkeley. We will not be voting for this at council in April.

At a public meeting last month, with over 100 people attending, it was made very clear to me that the people I represent are not willing to support an increase in the population of Berkeley of about 40 per cent and feel that this would destroy the towns historic character and the vista of the castle.

People do not feel that Berkeley would have a 'better announcement' as a result of this addition and the current infrastructure will not cope in its current form.

Over the years I have received many complaints regarding the amount of traffic on the main road into town, and more specifically the speed at which it travels. Further development would simply compound these problems and increase the pollution in the vicinity.

Berkeley has already grown by 20 per cent from the period 1991-2001; this is disproportionate to the growth in the district as a whole, which stands at four per cent.

Local people accordingly see the intervention of central government as unwelcome in suggesting such a huge number of houses, which will almost certainly become a commuting zone for Bristol and Gloucester.

Following the meeting at Berkeley Town Hall, I have visited the outlying regions of my ward. Although opinion is not as strongly opposed as in the town itself, the view is generally against.

My position will be unalterable, unless public opinion u-turns to favour the building of 300 homes in Berkeley - or an additional aspect of considerable proportion enters into the equation in a way that warrants further consultation by myself. In the meantime the letters and emails keep arriving objecting to the inspector's proposal.

It is becoming clear to me that the people of Stroud do not wish for the 9,400 homes as decreed by the current Labour Government - and neither do I.

Cllr Ben Francis Woodleaze House Box Stroud