Your article about the proposed large development in Surbiton (Style and quality comes to a run down high street) beggars belief. Clearly your journalist fell for the developer's sales pitch.

The reality is a proposal to build a five-storey block of flats right next to two-storey Victorian cottages.

And the reality is a proposal that will demolish four "protected" Victorian shop fronts.

Fortunately this proposal is completely at odds with Kingston Council's local development plan.

Thankfully the Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee recognised this at its meeting last Wednesday and was highly critical.

Let us hope the council planning committee now does the right thing and saves this area from an entirely inappropriate development.

BRIAN WILSON

Surbiton