Harry Burden accuses objectors of being guilty of negativity but fails to answer any of the fundamental reasons why there are so many of us (‘Benefits of new council offices’, Your Say, June 30).

The plan for new council offices contravenes laid down requirements for Charles Street development.

These were designed to protect The Walks and the surrounding area from exactly the kind of mutilation and aesthetic degradation which such huge offices and tree destruction would bring.

Coupled with these facts goes the informed opinion of many well-known and appropriately qualified and experienced objectors that the financial expectations based on the West Dorset District Council (WDDC) literature are highly suspect.

Last but not least, WDDC should be reflecting the views of the town but have shown themselves to be under the political will of the Conservative WDDC councillors, many of whom are not residents of the town.

It’s clear to me that our investment as taxpayers in this proposed venture is the only thing that is making it possible at all.

Personally, I cannot think of a worse reason and one must ask whether the council office move wasn’t dreamt up for that purpose.

Mr Burden acknowledges that Simons have yet to market the rest of the site which shows how much reliance has been put on taxpayers’ money.

Mr Burden’s views are airy-fairy to say the least – he seems to trust as gospel everything WDDC publishes but does, bless him, include the words ‘if correct’ after quoting their figures before going on to add that if it doesn’t all turn out rosy, WDDC ‘can choose another route to recoup taxpayers’ money’.

As if that isn’t enough to bring us on to the streets in anguish, Mr Burden also suggests a block of flats ‘as high as the proposed council offices’ might be an alternative option. Heaven forbid!

Changing the character of Charles Street to bring some life and prosperity to Dorchster need not involve anything more than producing an open plan development of smaller shops, pavement restaurants and offices with a generous amount of space given to the exposure of previously covered Roman artifacts.

Waitrose could still relocate and this would enable the old Roman Villa to be revealed as a tourist attraction perhaps even housing the tourist information centre.

Let’s remember why people like to visit other towns. It’s not always to go shopping but many of us spend money almost automatically when we are enjoying ourselves. We like to wander among pleasant and peaceful surroundings.

Mr Burden has exercised his own flight of fantasy so I’ll exercise mine. The Cattle Market car park could be made into a multi-storey car park with a basement level. Perhaps part of the ground floor could be used by market traders on either a weekly or permanent basis.

No views are likely to be spoiled there and the resulting peace and quiet in our town centre would improve everyone’s quality of life.

It might implement the closure of High West Street to through traffic which would be great since many motorists still use it as a short-cut.

It could even house the WDDC and I would rather my money was put to this use given the choice.

Apart from anything else the current plan consumes much commercially valuable space which they don’t need and adds to congestion.

CMD Joslin, Garfield Avenue, Dorchester