Cortland, the big American build-to-rent property development, has designs on Ascot Road. If anyone thought that the 24-storey tower was to be the end of their ambitions, there is another block planned, and councillors are being lobbied to turn a blind eye to its inappropriateness.

I am referring, of course, to “Phase Two”, a scheme that will loom over the adjacent Ascot Road dual carriageway and the Sun Printers clock tower.

One could criticise this proposal in many ways, but what really jars with me is this line from Cortland’s PR guff.

I quote: “Improve greening and public spaces, helping to improve air quality and biodiversity in the area”. So where is the new nature reserve, Cortland?

The west side of Holywell Ward is being savaged by housing developers.

The town planning powers of local authorities such as our borough have been watered down so that there is no effective brake; as for the Government’s buzzword from a few years ago, namely “localism”, if it meant giving local people a decent level of representation, it was nothing more than empty words.

Clive Jones

Sheraton Mews, Watford