CONGRATULATIONS to the Planning Control of Test Valley Borough Council for rejecting the application to decimate the Test Valley with a solar farm.

Over the past eight years Councillor Busk has made several attempts to make capital out of proposed developments in and around Stockbridge.

These include a proposal to replace a barn with a nursing home complex (thankfully rejected), a proposal to build 46 houses (still in the pipeline) and an application to build two executive houses in the back garden of a cottage on The High Street (permission granted on a split decision).

How do Councillor Busk’s development aspirations fit in with his position of borough councillor for Stockbridge?

Whilst being legally permissible, it is difficult to see how they can be morally right.

With the borough councillor elections due next year perhaps Councillor Busk should discard his developer’s hard hat, put on the soft hat of compassion, and get on with looking after the interests of his constituents.

Tony Collingswood, Admirals Row, High Street, Stockbridge.