SIR — Why do we need a Conservation Society?

Stephen Crossman's humorous contribution to your columns last Friday regarding the Minehead Conservation Society has provided some welcome publicity for the organisation.

The society is one of many organisations throughout our land supporting the nation's town and country planning system's attempts to stem the lowering of the quality of our environment by the incessant and increasing demands of mankind to extend its domain.

Our planning system is our main bastion against unwanted and unwelcome development which, whilst becoming increasingly tarnished, is the envy of many countries.

The French system (RNU) for instance is far less effective – witness the canyons of self-defeating advertising hoardings as you drive into or around a French town. Their conservation areas are far more exclusive and provide less guidance and control than ours.

The tasks of conservation societies and other similar groupings are, of course, not easy.

They have to balance the freedom and needs of the individual and the public, of repair, of restoration, of evolution and of innovation against the need to preserve the quality of the environment.

Pressures have changed over the years. Changes in patronage, prosperity, materials, building techniques, the availabilty of suitable building land, the use of buildings and the harnessing of the power of the computer are some of these.

Fortunately there are a number of guidelines to help us in our decisions.

Although some of its bulbs need replacing, Ruskin's 1849 "Seven Lamps of Architecture" is a sound starting point.

Sir Terry Farrell's recently published Government sponsored "Review of architectural design in the built environment" highlights the poor quality of our environment, society's lack of commitment to improvement and how this could be changed is a further sound reference point.

In particular it points out our enviroment's lack of identity and space and asks why leaving Southampton should appear the same as entering Carlisle.

Finally, Sir Hugh Casson, the director in charge of the 1952 Festival of Britain's South Bank exhibition, in highlighting the above problems has pointed out the need for greater participation by the general public in countering the forces attempting to destroy our heritage.

We need to join hands together in our campaign.

Stephen, we have room in our circle for you. I am sure the reflected knowledge you should have received could do nothing but enhance our efforts to protect the delightful area in which we live.

Peter Kirkham,

Martlet Road,

Minehead.