SIR — West Somerset residents beware! Last Thursday's appalling West Somerset Council planning committee meeting confirmed our worst fears that we have planning officers and a majority of planning committee councillors who show little or no respect for the good folk who elect them, or for the supposed protection afforded by Conservation Area designation.

Praise is, however, due to Cllrs Doug Ross, Leslie Smith, Maureen Smith, Steven Pugsley and Chris Morgan who, I believe, all showed respect for the Conservation Area or at least felt that new development should lie within the actual agreed development zone.

A procedural error meant that a controversial application to develop the Woodcombe church hut site was put back on the agenda for the March planning meeting, and Minehead Conservation Society and a great many members of the public invested a huge amount of time and passion in ensuring that all the councillors were aware of the huge depth of feeling and weighty reasoning against this application.

It soon became apparent, however, that some members of the committee appeared to view the whole process as an irritation.

The 30-plus members of the public who gave so much of their time to prepare their arguments and took time to attend the meeting were treated with utter disdain and rudeness.

It was fine for councillors to jeer when the sound system could not be fixed, but the public were threatened with ejection if they clapped or made any audible noise.

This mirrors the hypocrisy of the committee in approving the application for two large four-bedroom detached houses adjacent to Woodcombe's precious row of tiny 18th cottages and 1930s semis when it had previously refused an application for a nearby rear fence, barely visible even to hillwalkers, on the grounds that "the approval of this application would set an undesirable precedent for similar proposals in the locality, causing cumulative and irreversible impact"! How amazingly two-faced and inconsistent!

I have spoken to a number of people who have fought long and hard to try to get permission for various improvements or changes to their property and, for the most part, I would support the planning officers in this, because we should all respect our heritage and endeavour to preserve or enhance our environment whilst respecting the rights and quality of life of our neighbours.

What a pity that so many elected members of West Somerset Council don't appear to show the same level of respect to the area's residents and visitors.

The defence is that there is a need for local housing, but the area is awash with large properties, many of which have been on the market for months or, in some cases, years.

Building in conservation areas should be a last resort and any building should "preserve or enhance" the conservation area.

It beggars belief that anyone could argue that the erection of large detached houses at the foot of Woodcombe Cottages will comply with this requirement.

This is further evidence of the utter disregard of Conservation Area designation displayed by the council, which recently granted approval for a similar development in Alcombe.

Further contempt of the strongly held views of local people was shown in the recent Parks development case.

It appears to me that the heart and soul of Minehead and surrounding areas is being sold for 30 pieces of silver.

Caroline Nott,

Bratton Lane,

Woodcombe.