I was interested to read Bob Carden's congratulatory letter (March 22) about the speed with which planning applications are now being dealt with in Brighton and Hove.

Having very recently had experience of this, I wonder if speed is now the only criterion for judgement?

I found out - via a neighbour - that the owner of the house behind mine had applied for planning permission to demolish the house and build a three-storey block of flats - classified as a "major development".

I sent a letter of objection - along with 160 of my neighbours. We objected on the usual Nimby grounds - loss of privacy, light and trees, increase in traffic, lack of local infrastructure, parking and difficulty of access.

The planning officer recommended approval. We stood outside as members of the planning committee visited for 20 minutes or so (apparently you're not allowed to speak to them).

The planning committee considered the proposal, residents objected for their allotted three minutes and permission to build was granted.

There's no right of appeal. So what do we all do now? Sell up?

Our houses are now worth less than they were and it won't be such a nice place to live - so perhaps we'll sell to a developer too and see just how many flats we could squeeze into the area.

After all, there's no reason to turn down similar applications now and it's clearly better for the city if none of us cares much about where we live.

We wouldn't want the views of local residents to get in the way of Councillor Carden's "vibrant development industry" would we?

Offers anyone?

-G Meyne, Brighton