Madam,

I’ve been following the correspondence about Rob Davies’ Tree project with some interest.

The first thing to say is that I support the proposal. It is temporary, with a much briefer time span than the wind farms that populate the area (including in Special Landscape Areas).

I have also been dismayed at attempts by some individuals to cajole those who disagree with their views.

There is an assumption that the rights of the residents of Borth and Ynyslas take precedence over the opinions of all other users of the beach from around the area, and that few in the area support the project. Neither assumption is true.

The beach is within Ceredigion, which is why all the Ceredigion councillors (including those who live nowhere near Borth) had a vote on the proposal.

A key mark of civility is being able to disagree without being disagreeable, so I was dismayed at the bad-tempered comments about Rob Davies and about the inspectorate.

Mr Davies is no less ‘a self-styled artist’ than Patrick O’Brien is ‘a self-styled journalist’. No doubt had the inspector found in objectors’ favour, they would not have gone on about him being unelected.

Finally there seems to be some ignorance of the planning system. The Heritage Coast is not a statutory designation, nor are SLAs. Their purpose is not to prevent development and their designations do not (unlike national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty) override other material considerations.

written objections, however many, are material, but only where they relate to planning policy. Petitions carry very little weight.

Planning law makes the planning policies in the development plan the main material consideration. Anyone can influence the wording of planning policy at the appropriate time, but very few people can be bothered. They should not then complain if they don’t like the policies on which decisions are based.

Mr Davies had every right to appeal the decision, given that officers and the councillors who attended the site recommended approval. The inspector made his own recommendation, and the (elected) minister has chosen not to overturn it. If people think that this was the wrong recommendation they could always take the case to a judicial review before a bench of (unelected) judges.

Yours etc,

Charlie Falzon, Tre’r-ddôl.

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