I READ the superb article in a recent copy of Bridport News on the alarming, large amount of holiday and buy-to-let homes in our area.

However, with this issue in mind, I was amazed to read the rather bizarre letter submitted by WDD Cllr Ian Gardner supporting the building of affordable housing in conjunction with that of the open-market variety.

Granted this has traditionally been the way the building industry has operated for decades, and using the Vearse Farm example, if it happens, one affordable house being funded from every two open-market ones constructed.

This giving rise to the much publicised 35 per cent tranche of affordables, allegedly at this location.

But it would seem to me that Cllr Gardner has not been in contact with his WDD colleague Cllr Tim Yarker who has supported the building of affordable homes based on an independent, private funding source, which hopefully will be exemplified by the futuristic build at Watton Village, Bridport.

This process does not require any open-market houses to fund the affordable tranche, thus overall fewer houses are built, only maximising the required affordable variety, to satisfy the need of local families.

Furthermore I would like to draw attention to this sentiment for the enlightenment of the WDDC planning committee who are, and will be, making decisions in the future on whether to support planning applications, without awareness and assessment of more modern, alternative funded building options that I have alluded to.

So perhaps Cllr Gardner could convey this modern building concept to the decision makers he alludes to, in the north Dorchester area, and perhaps keep up with more modern building concepts in mitigating the excessive destruction of this wonderful area of the Jurassic coast.

Richard Freer

West Allington

Bridport