Sir, You report the fact that the consultation draft of the Drayton Neighbourhood Development Plan has been adopted by the parish council.

This is the reason behind my resignation from the parish council; not being able to continue as councillor, chairman and chair of the planning committee responsible for a plan that by any reasonable measure would not “contribute to the achievement of sustainable development”.

Drayton did not have to produce a Neighbourhood Plan but, having chosen to do so, the regulations state that the contribution to the achievement of sustainable development is a ‘basic condition’ for the plan to be adopted. The VWHDC has assisted with the production of the Drayton plan and is committed to learn from it so that there would be general conformity between the plans at different levels.

The public and our political representatives should be making all reasonable efforts to ensure that local and neighbourhood plans take the issue of sustainability seriously.

The UK Carbon Budget (under the Climate Change Act 2008) is set to achieve a 50 per cent saving in carbon emissions by 2025 and this must be reflected in the planning policies and proposals for housing, transport, employment, biodiversity, energy, farming and food (see for example: www.dan theplan.blogspot.com).

Daniel Scharf

Abingdon Road

Drayton