I HOPE the residents of Colchester understand the significance of what Colchester Council has done on the Local Plan.

I for one have been very critical of the council in the last two years but it is a remarkable act of courage it has set up a compromise that all the parties have agreed.

Under the leadership of Mark Cory, all the political parties signed up to put infrastructure first, not houses and hope for the best. This is what I stood for in last May’s borough elections, together with my fellow Independent candidates: for common sense and recognising there can be a middle way.

Also, that housing must be linked to residents’ experience in their daily lives – delays in getting to where they want to go, getting treatment at their doctor or hospital, and the schooling of their children.

Now the challenge is on for the council to deliver on this approach. An approach that must be applied to other areas, like Mersea, that has not the services to cope even now yet without many more houses and caravans.

I still think with the garden communities it has signed over much too much to the undemocratic holding company to manage the project and it has been wholly complacent in accepting inflated housing numbers from the government.

The new approach has to be transparent so a sustainability study is realistically applied, and that sufficient time is made available for there to be proper assessments. It cannot be rushed.

But fair dos - a big change here and very welcome.

There are many pitfalls likely to come and we are waiting to see what details emerge of this approach but full marks for the courage of our councillors.

No marks though for some of those that manage the large caravan sites on Mersea.

No public response yet to the wholesale concern of Cooper’s Beach's intention to get another 4,000 visitors a year, or with Cosway’s Caravan site seeking a substantial number of lodges in an area of true natural beauty.

Many will think this lack of public comment smacks of arrogance as it has, to date, remained silent.

Locals have to live on the island as well as visitors who are only attracted so long as the island is not spoilt by overdevelopment.

John Akker

Seaview Avenue, West Mersea