I, ALONG with most people, agree with Stuart Whittle that the proposed student accommodation would ruin Cheadle Square.

I can remember the square's street lights lit by free sewer gas long before green energy became the buzzword. This proposed monstrosity more resembles a Soviet detention centre and I can just visualise all those England flags hanging out of the windows on international matchdays. People who have visited Bolton museum's excellent exhibition on the history of Bolton will have seen Lord Leverhulme's impressive grand design for Bolton.

He was a man of vision, not someone who would have daubed paint on shops in the name of progress. Had his plan been adopted this town would have been one of the finest in the land. Sadly it didn't happen. When it comes down to making serious decisions on good quality architecture in suitable locations can we really trust a Council that happily spent £440,000 on a headless, armless statue, be it genuine or as it turned out a fake. Did they actually expect coach loads of visitors to come and admire it.

John Watchman

Armadale Road

Bolton