THE Evening Press has done an excellent job reporting the outcry over the universally unpopular development by the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI) at Connaught Court.

However, there is a vital point which needs to be brought to the attention of local residents - or else their objections to the development will count for nothing.

As reported in the Evening Press (January 26), the RMBI has submitted a new planning application for Connaught Court.

Although this is largely the same as the old one (despite the RMBI's misleading claims to the contrary), letters of objection to the original planning application will not be "transported across" to the new application. Unless residents write to the council once more voicing their objections their views will be ignored.

I urge the residents of Fulford, and York as a whole, to make sure their views are heard, by writing to the council once more to object to the Connaught Court development.

It is astounding that the council's planning department has not notified residents that earlier letters of objection will count for nothing.

By means of submitting a new application, the RMBI seems to have found a convenient way of trying to circumvent the enormous opposition. Let's not let them get away with it.

C A L Smith,

St Oswalds Road, York.

Updated: 11:34 Thursday, February 03, 2005