I WRITE with regard to Fred Dibnah's planning application for a mineshaft and associated works.

As a former Local Government Development Control Officer, from what I have seen (the garden being secluded and the application for private use only ie not open to the public and therefore NO traffic increase), and the project having satisfactorily met all engineering, safety and planning requirements, and been recommended by the council's own planning officers to be approved, the refusal by the councillors is frivolous.

I trust that Mr Dibnah will claim costs against the council when his appeal is successful, and suggest that the bill be sent to the councillors who seemingly caved in to a vocal minority, and to the the protesting Twenty!

Frank Phillipson

(address supplied)