THE story ‘housing sites plan delayed’ (Journal, April 7) was probably the first that many concerned residents of Salisbury knew of Wiltshire Council’s decision to put back, yet again, the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan (WHSAP), which will determine the future development of our city.

Evidence gathering officially drew to a close at the end of May, 2015, and, as a protester against the Britford Lane Meadows development, I learned that the plan was to have been finalised by the end of summer, 2015.

The submission was to have been completed by the end of 2015, but was later put back until December, 2016. We now learn that it will not be fully determined until December, 2017. This delay can only favour developers above the concerns of local residents.

Some planning applications may well be made before the WHSAP is approved or adopted. This was certainly the impression I gained from the Longford Estate presentation in the Guildhall on November 22.

Developers have considerable financial resources at their disposal, professional agencies to represent their interests, direct access to planning authorities and the prospect of considerable financial gain. Residents, however, have limited resources, only incidental professional knowledge and no prospects of financial gain. They have the threat of repeated assaults on their locality from ongoing development proposals and a remote council with limited interest in the area.

Many may think the proposal has already been turned down, but we should be wary of being lulled into a false sense of security. Our city is still under threat of development on sites that would affect our environment, infrastructure, amenity and wellbeing.

Portfolio holder for housing Richard Clewer is on record saying Wiltshire has no housing crisis, but a “relatively manageable housing problem”.

As he says, a number of very controversial sites have been put forward which, it seems, have already extended the process beyond a reasonable period.

The fact that new housing sites are not a “burning priority” should surely mean the council can exclude the more controversial sites and speed up consideration of the more acceptable proposals.

Come on Wiltshire, get your act together, Salisbury deserves better from the council “Where Everybody Matters”.

David Willoughby East Harnham