Dear Sir,

MY commiserations to Mr Blackburn, who just seems to have discovered that Leigh has become a dormitory town.

Fewer and fewer industries and businesses, that is to say jobs, can justify the population of the town. The people who will inhabit the new estate undoubtedly will all be commuters with valid F1 licences gained on the various motorways which surround Leigh.

I can tell him that any excuse, wildlife, Olympic stadia or even more fantastic enterprises, will be used to justify sale of greenbelt land to the property developers.

He need only cross St Helens Road to view the development of what used to be church land between Chestnut Avenue and the brook, to find out what could happen to him and his neighbours.

The land is very boggy and will require huge pile-drivers to force strong enough supports for the houses. People will be driven mad by the constant pounding for months on end. The ground will sink with the weight of the houses, increasing the likelihood of flooding and belated attempts to stem the flow of water will guarantee building noises for years to come.

My father, who was mayor of Leigh, as a councillor, campaigned for the wildlife sanctuary at Pennington Flash and also for the Leigh by-pass in order to protect Leigh from becoming a Wigan afterthought area and to spend some money on Leigh for Leigh people before the larger municipal authorities took over.

How sad now to return home and see the only development to be housing estates and supermarkets, all commercial endeavours, and nothing at all in terms of parks, adventure playground areas, the arts, local history and other recreational activities.

The Leigh I knew as a young boy has been sold off!

I wonder what's next?

Duncan Allen

23 Clare Crescent

Wyke

Bradford

BD12 8LD