Sir – There’s a huge field of solar panels of dubious value off the A40 just west of Barnard Gate.

Dubious, because they are not built for maximum efficiency (with solar tracking) and output will be debased whenever winds deposit Sahara dust upon their delicate surfaces.

But of course everyone knows that’s not their real point – they are part of a ‘mechanism’ for collecting lucrative subsidies.

I would also like to draw readers’ attention to a copy of an old West Oxfordshire Report, I have in my possession.

This was put out by the Conservatives in 2001, backing a proposal by their then-leader, William Hague, to scrap New Labour’s national house-building targets and instead have these decisions made at the local level – this was was endorsed by David Cameron at the time, when he was the Tory candidate for Witney.

Yet the Conservatives, since their 2001 pledge, have approved several new large developments on greenfield sites in West Oxfordshire and now we see (Gazette, April 2), yet another proposal, this time for our beautiful Windrush Valley.

This is contrary to the Government policy of seeking greater self-sufficiency in agriculture and it would also lead to an increased threat of flooding.

The removal of green fields around Witney and West Oxfordshire is now a serious issue; a legacy future generations will hold us in contempt for.

Can the West Oxfordshire Conservatives and our MP let us know whether national house-building targets have been abolished and, if so, confirm that the council will be making a local decision that will ensure that the Windrush Valley is not despoiled when this project comes before the council?

John Randell, Burford Road, Witney