I am writing in response to your article on the protest held on October 13 against the park-and-ride proposals for Brighton.

I am the chairman of the Patcham Against Insensitive and Destructive Development group (PAIDD) and, along with Frances Lindsay-Hills of the RSPCA, would like to thank everyone who came to make known their opposition to these proposals.

Council officers have been telling us that, on December 7, 2006, the Policy and Resources committee will be deciding to build at either Braypool or Patcham Court Farm or neither site.

However, we hear that the council has now given the landlord of the farm cottage tenants notice to quit.

So first the council tries to put the park-and-ride proposals through in January without any consultation and now it looks as if it has already decided without waiting for a vote to be taken.

We also hear that Terence O'Rourke, a landscape design architect, has been retained to work on the park-and-ride proposals.

So a contract is awarded before a site is chosen and the words of the council that neither site might be chosen seem far from the mark. This makes these public protests even more important, to make the council aware these proposals are unpopular across the city. This was proved by the number of signatures on the petitions and more than 500 postcards of opposition sent to the council chief executive, Alan McCarthy.

The RSPCA, along with PAIDD, is organising a march from Churchill Square to Brighton Town Hall on Thursday, November 24.

We then plan to go into the full council meeting, where a deputation led by Dr James Rhodes will outline the threat these proposals have on our drinking water.

The council "fat lady" may be clearing her voice to sing but I for one do not want to hear this particular tune.

So I would urge you to join the protest and make your voice heard. This could be the last chance you have before the council marches relentlessly on to destroy people's homes and lives.

-Dave Tyrrell, Patcham