Don't blame Mr Mawle (From Witney Gazette)

Don't blame Mr Mawle

10:00am Wednesday 10th October 2012 in Letters

Sir – Some people are never satisfied. For as long as I can remember Witneyites have been complaining and campaigning against the council’s drive for the Cogges Link Road.

Now it has been quashed by the Government inspector after a long and arduous fight, Jim Sewell (Gazette Letters, September 26) turns against the very man who did more than anyone to put an end to that silly project.

This is not to belittle the considerable efforts of the CPRE and others, of course. James Mawle spent large sums of his own money on professional expertise and lawyers that, in the end, won the day.

He had no pre-ordained expectation that his time, energy and hard cash would not be for nothing. So what if he’s in line to gain from building houses on his own land? This happens all the time.

If it wasn’t him, it would be someone else – someone perhaps less deserving. If you object to ever more houses marching across England’s green and pleasant land, as I do, then your real target is the Government.

Perhaps James Mawle’s dogged perseverance is to be deservedly rewarded.

David Barnby, New Yatt Road, Witney