Letter: Urban worrier

Sir: I found the reported attitude of the Countryside Alliance to the idea of ending Miras tax relief on homes built on greenfield sites curiously negative (Your Money, 16 January). In this predominately rural district residents do not want to see green fields disappear under concrete to meet an insatiable and inherently self-defeating mass demand to "live in the countryside".

Certainly, existing property and residents must not be penalised, but abolishing Miras on new greenfield developments is, potentially, a powerful lever to protect both the countryside and existing residents' interests, and the measure must get serious debate. Of course it will not please the $40,000-per-house land-value hopefuls.

KEN BLANSHARD

Burgess Hill

The writer is leader of Mid Sussex district council