SIR — Several local issues have recently highlighted the way the need for sustainability is being ignored when approving new developments.

How can any development be 'sustainable' if the area itself is unsustainable?

Our local authorities struggle to maintain even the most basic services. Public transport fails to serve many needs.

We are dependent on supermarkets whose just-in-time supply systems are so tight that we see gaps on the shelves every time the A39 is closed.

The critically inadequate A39 provides our only viable route to centralised health and other facilities and access to the wider world.

Electronic communications are slow. Our coastline is vulnerable to inundation in many places. Interruptions to our power supply are predicted.

We already have a housing stock sufficient for our dwindling retired population now that the retirement bubble has burst.

Without new jobs that pay sufficiently well to encourage people to settle and raise families locally, the only need for new housing is to offset the shortage of affordable housing.

The supply of new affordable housing is dependent on speculative development alongside it, but current proposals envisage it taking several years to sell even a small number of new houses.

Therefore no new development can be "sustainable" unless it addresses these issues.

In the absence of outside initiatives, we can at least make a move in the direction of sustainability by supporting local businesses so that over a period local production and distribution will be strengthened and expanded to reduce our dependence on extended and fragile global supply chains.

For our future's sake - think local.

John Dixon,

Periton Road,