LETTER: Not much like a democracy

The issue of the future of the Bishop Luffa playing fields appeared again in the story about the Whitehouse Farm development transport arrangements in last week's paper and online editions of the Observer with the continuing lack of transparency.

However the Friends of Centurion Way have found more information.

Anthony Dignum, the leader of CDC (Chichester District Council) kindly responded to my earlier letter on the issue, to say that it is completely untrue to say that CDC are selling the

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large part of the existing playing fields which it owns, the piece adjacent to Flaxman Avenue.

However all can see from the website of Lavigne Lonsdale that the Chichester District Council support for Linden Homes continues in another way with the land of Whitehouse Farm being saved for profitable housing rather than the quota of playing facilities by appropriating all of the school’s dedicated playing fields for the, soon to be much larger, community and also some school use with the piece adjacent to Flaxman Avenue becoming a multi user games area with parking.

The sweeping statement that the southern end of Centurion Way would be moved, originally said to allow unfettered access to new dedicated fields, had the small justification of simple convenience, however it has no justification if public access to all school playing fields, old and new, is to be allowed anyway.

The Friends of Centurion Way has spoken extensively with the users of the section of Centurion Way and become a focal point for expressing their disquiet and their wish to see no change to the route and look to it being maintained and enhancements such as planting and seating introduced on it.

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Surely in a democracy the well-being of the many as expressed by groups such as the Friends of Centurion Way should take precedence over the financial interests of the few which are leaders play to.

Mike White, Exeter Road, Chichester