I READ with interest Coun Brendan Webster’s letter ‘Positive ideas to improve Portland’ (Your Say, December 13).

I would like to explain the roads situation on the island.

There are currently two routes from the Beach Road. One is long standing, signposted through Victoria Square to Victoria Road, then to Castle Road and on to Castletown and the port.

The other is through Lerret Road, left into Mulberry Avenue, right into Castle Road on to Castletown and port.

Lerret Road dead ends at a short sharp graded incline, which meets the Castle Road at an acute angle. When the road connection between Lerret and Castle road is made up, I doubt if a right turn will be allowed into Castle Road. The connection has but one function, that is to give port traffic a different route between port and Beach Road.

The Marple tank area is that contained within the fenced area of the tanks, between the incline and Officer Field construction.

With the tank area cleared and built over, the possibility for an alternative route Underhill to Tophill will be gone, completing a solid wall of development east to west across the north face of the island.

The Easton Tesco supermarket is not a Metro. Tesco is in competition with Asda and Morrisons and adjacent to Park & Ride new build Sainsburys. Shoppers do have preferences for one supermarket over another and will travel to exercise their preference. Off-peak traffic to and from, up and down, will increase for Portland.

The population of Tophill is about 8,000, with that of Southwell, around 2,000, Underhill, say 6,000, if they use the Easton Tesco store, they will arrive by bus or car. In reasonable weather Tophill shoppers walk to Easton Square. Tophill traffic will remain unchanged.

The term ‘growing development’ does not imply ‘large development’ as the Your Say letter, December 13. Currently the bottom Combe site has a burgeoning Tesco’s, a small housing estate to follow.

The gas storage company plans a centre, based on the old Admiralty engine sheds. The Portland Academy schemes are favoured by the government. Closure of two Underhill schools will create two Brownfield sites, should the academy be built. Royal Manor School will be a Brownfield site.

The expansion of Osprey Quay and housing on the Officers Field give job opportunities and much needed housing for local people.

John Rogers, Grove Road, Easton, Portland