IT was with incredulity that I read the letter from the two Liberal Democrat County Councillors representing parts of Watford (Letters, October 26).

They say the County Council proposal for 4,400 houses in Watford is ridiculous.

The Liberal Democrat leader of Three Rivers District Council says that 3,230 are unacceptable there.

Labour agrees entirely, but would therefore like to know why the County Liberal Democrats issued a press release welcoming the proposals for up to 62,000 new houses in Hertfordshire including the numbers for Watford and Three Rivers.

The total figure is 13,000 more than the Government requires to meet Hertfordshire's housing needs.

The 62,000 figure comes from the Conservative Administration of the County Council and is driven politically by their leader's NIMBY obsession with stopping the agreed and sustainable development of 5,000 new homes at West Stevenage.

This is a development supported by nine out of the ten district councils in Hertfordshire and which takes off some of the pressure for developments in the congested and crowded south west of the county.

The County Liberal Democrats have also recently said they have changed their mind about West Stevenage and now oppose it. Could we have some clarity from them, please, about what their intentions are?

This letter is not intended to divide, but to ask the Liberal Democrats at County Hall to support their colleagues in Watford and their leader of Three Rivers against the town cramming proposed by the Conservative leader of the County Council.

Fortunately there are many Conservatives, for example in east Herts, who recognise the folly of what is proposed.

County Councillor Brian York, Beechwood Avenue, St Albans

November 7, 2001 15:58