It would now be unthinkable for planning permission to be given for houses to be built on Hilly Fields and the southern slopes of High Woods Country Park, in Colchester.

But, in the past, the borough council of the day nearly blundered into granting approval for these much-loved open spaces to be smothered with housing.

Around 60 years ago, Hilly Fields was lined up for housing before the foolishness of such a proposal was recognised in the nick of time.

In the early Seventies, the council was at an advanced stage towards agreeing a huge housing estate on what are now the southern slopes at High Woods.

Fortunately, councillors made a site visit before a crucial vote, and the proposal was narrowly defeated at a full council meeting by just four votes.

Having escaped two such planning disasters in the past, I look to the current Colchester Council to act in the same decisive way as its predecessors when it comes to the fields of Mile End, where approval for upwards of 2,200 houses would be a huge planning and environmental disaster.

Just because a planning inspector – using the criteria of the former Labour Government – has said housing “can” take place (Gazette, September 23), it is not inevitable it “must”

happen, particularly when the new coalition Government has scrapped the previous policies and given local councils more powers to determine their own destiny.

The planning process for the High Woods southern slopes was much further advanced than is the case with the Mile End fields, so I shall continue to do all I can to prevent this environmental disaster happening in the hope that I can repeat what was achieved with notable success in the past.

We owe it to future generations that we keep such open spaces.

Bob Russell
MP for Colchester
Wimpole Road
Colchester