I HAVE lived in Westhoughton for most of my life and I must say that I was dismayed to read the article in The Bolton News about the proposed housing development on the old Taylor and Hartley Mill site, off Bolton Road.

Yet another brownfield site building programme. It seems that the developers' bandwagon rolls on with little to suggest that the local authority intends to do anything about it or take any notice of the views of people who live in the town.

Westhoughton is indeed Bolton's council tax "sugar daddy".

Where are the services that should be planned alongside such an explosion of building? Health, policing, schools, roads?

Try finding a dentist.

The police station is now based in Horwich, and the only uniform you will find patrolling in Westhoughton is that belonging to a traffic warden!

As for traffic congestion - the local authority seems intent on adding to it, rather than doing anything practical to improve the flow of commuter traffic through the town.

As far as Westhoughton is concerned, we used to be one of the largest urban district councils in the country.

For Westhoughton people, it would seem that we would have been far better off if we could have remained so.

At least we would have had more of a say in matters that affect us most, and not be subject to decision-making by those who have little or nothing to do with the town, other than to exploit the financial benefits of building here.

Malcolm Woodward, Cherwell Road resident