REGARDING Sandsend’s old boatyard development – I thought I would contribute the process of representing residents of Sandsend by becoming a parish councillor.

I thought there was a just system in this country of advertising intended housing developments for comment by interested parties, including local residents, some with houses now reducing in value and the parish council.

The local planning authority discussed all objections by any parties who were interested enough to send their opinions and this is exactly what the authority did.

They considered that the application should be refused.

There was, as has happened, the right of the applicant to appeal against that decision.

Then a faceless individual visited the village and decided the parish council and all the residents who objected to the decision were all wrong.

One man decided.

I assume the faceless visitor is paid to visit and tell us of the error of our ways.

I had spent some hours listening to and recording the views of many local residents which showed a vast majority were against the full plan for the development in our pretty village, though a plan of smaller dwellings to develop the site was not disagreeable.

Now there are some very angry residents.

I was once told the appeal would certainly reverse the LPA decision because it always does.

I foolishly dismissed that as I thought that justice still prevailed.

The system, therefore, appears to be anyone can build anything at any time and anywhere with an assumption that all objections will be totally ignored on appeal.

The hours I put in at meetings and collating local views are apparently no use in our democratic country so my days as a volunteer on the parish council are coming to an end.