The Argus (January 18) reported that East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council are looking for a site for a new commuter town of 22,500 houses.

It also said countryside between Lewes and Uckfield is the most likely candidate.

Unfortunately, the report appears to have misunderstood the position and raised unjustified concern.

The two councils are starting a process to look at how their two areas should develop in the period to 2021.

One of the big issues to be faced is how to accommodate the extra housing development required to provide homes for the growing number of people and households, plus how to provide the supporting jobs, transport and other services.

However, at this early stage, no decisions have been made. There is no plan for a new settlement between Lewes and Uckfield. With our colleagues, we have begun looking at what options there may be.

The first priority is to look at developing previously used land in existing towns.

There is a regional target that 60 per cent of development should be on such land. After that, we will look at the possibilities of extending existing towns.

Only if these options cannot accommodate all the required development will a new settlement be considered.

There is much work to be done yet and the need for consultation before the councils could make any decisions about where development should take place.

-Coun Tony Reid, Lead Councillor for Transport and Environment, East Sussex County Council and Coun Chris Morley, Chairman of the Environment Committee, Brighton and Hove City Council