THE argument about Carfax House, one of Aylestone Hill's landmarks is, in effect, the same as that which is going on about this country's green belts; visual amenity versus need for ever more housing.

While the aspiring developer can invariably produce a convincing argument for maximising occupancy of a given piece of ground, there must come a point when a cogent reason arises for not pursuing this course to its bitter end.

The creeping cubicalisation of the built area of Aylestone Hill has to be seen as a foreseeable outcome of a decision 50 years ago - by the local council of that era - to site an educational campus on it, but that does not excuse today's planning authority for failing to exercise a restraining hand on the wholesale emasculation of its character which is now taking place.

One has only to look nearby to see what has replaced 'The Folly' (in Folly Lane, naturally) to imagine that something similar could soon arise on the site of Carfax, with the loss forever of a building of high quality and style; many such quality buildings have already been allowed to disappear in the name of 'progress'.

There has long been an increasing problem of traffic congestion and lack of parking availability in the area in question, and a further 14 households crammed on to this prominent site are hardly going to improve matters.

I suppose the older generation, like me, should not worry its head too much about it, and those who are younger will probably soon forget what the area once looked like, anyway. But with so much 20th century mediocrity covering interesting timber-frame survivals in the centre of town, it is a pity that one of the few 'leafy suburbs' of Victorian elegance cannot have a bit more tender loving care lavished on it by the local authority.

One often hears the colloquialism - 'Aylestone's 'ill' uttered, and one is left to reflect sadly that no remedial treatment now seem likely!....

R B BODDINGTON,

Walney Lane, Hereford.