Sir – Once again we see the almost instant reaction to any suggestion of building houses on the Oxford Green Belt (Report, November 19).

But when will it dawn on those defenders of a 60-year old policy – albeit useful in its time – that it is now simply hastening the destruction of rural Oxfordshire? The exact opposite of what they hope to achieve!

Week after week, The Oxford Times reports on planning applications for housing throughout the county: 200 in East Hanney, 200 in Faringdon/Great Coxwell, 76 in North Leigh, 350 in Kingston Bagpuize/ Southmoor, 1,000 at Bodicote, 1,200 in Woodstock…. and the list goes on, all just in recent months.

And many of these new residents would prefer to live close to the city anyway, rather than face long commutes in traffic jams.

One can argue as to exactly how many new houses are needed in the county in total, but setting aside wacky suggestions like building on Oxford golf course, the houses have to go somewhere. Better by far, surely, to allow controlled expansion around Oxford, than piecemeal destruction of our rural villages?

We are constantly told that “most people want to retain the Green Belt”. But who are these people? Did they ask the residents of East Hanney, Great Coxwell, Woodstock ….?

Greg Birdseye
Iffley