YOUR editorial about YNET's stance regarding the New Osbaldwick development (March 14) is both inaccurate and misrepresentative of the written statement and interview I made on YNET's behalf.

The land has not been allocated for housing for years. A large part of the land at Osbaldwick was allocated for leisure in the Southern Ryedale Local Plan. We put forward the view that the land should remain part of the green belt in York's Local Plan to compensate for over development elsewhere as part of a green wedge, but the city council's delays due to its own failures mean this will not even be discussed for a futher year (along with Germany Beck, Fulford or the Heslington campus over-expansion), by which time they will all have planning permission.

YNET was present at the first community planning exercise, which was poorly organised and where no heed was paid to our comments. YNET is a voluntary organisation and has to manage its limited time well.

With all the other calls on our time, with regular issues regarding development or green space management occurring we have chosen, after our earlier experience, to use our time on this occasion to more practical use.

York does of course need housing, but must we eat up every green space in the city? Green spaces for wildlife are only as good as the green corridors that feed into them and we keep closing them, too.

The planning of development around York can only be described as haphazard and driven by developers' greed to capitalise on its quality of life, fast-disappearing due to over-development and traffic.

YNET does not sulk, it is far to busy trying to maintain York's green spaces with its limited resources against the ranks of profit-hungry developers.

Mick Phythian,

Chair, YNET,

Monkton Road,

York.

...PUBLICITY at last! Perhaps, not the right kind, but very welcome, as more people need to know of YNET's existence.

Formed in 1988 to seek out and protect the green areas of the city, our major successes have been the original project, St Nicholas' Tip, aka St. Nicholas' Urban Nature Park, plus Rawcliffe and Danesmead Meadows.

We also have strong connections with Mayfields Nature Reserve, Clifton 'Backies', West Bank Park and, more recently, the Friends of the New Walk.

As for the Metcalfe Lane, Osbaldwick situation, the city council were made clearly aware of our feelings regarding the wanton destruction of an ancient ridge and furrow meadow when the proposals were first mooted.

These have been re-iterated over the period of the planning process, therefore attendance at the forum will not further our cause. This huge housing development, whether the result of need or demand - and there is a significant difference - just covers over yet another green space.

R Hutchinson,

Membership Secretary, YNET,

Manor Park Close,

York.

Updated: 12:13 Saturday, March 16, 2002