NO ONE would disagree that St Barnabas School needs new facilities. However, it seems curious that only one site is being looked at for the new school. Unfortunately the site in question is a sensitive area environmentally. As with many planning decisions in York, environmental considerations are being ignored.

If the development goes ahead it will make the flooding problem worse. Given how close we were to being flooded in this area in the year 2000, it would seem sensible not to build obstructions on land liable to flooding.

This proposal seeks to build a massive obstruction to the flow of water, in the form of a raised bank, to put the structure on a level higher than current flood defences. This building has the potential to cause millions of pounds worth of flood damage.

It is a great worry that none of our open spaces are now safe from development. If this goes ahead it will mean that many riverside fields, considered inappropriate for development in the past, could now be concreted over.

Mrs D Dawson,

Sycamore Terrace,

York.

Updated: 10:48 Friday, May 21, 2004