ALONG with many other residents, I have been approached by Sainsbury’s for my views on the proposed takeover of the B&Q site on Hull Road. This came as quite a shock as I had no idea that B&Q was moving out.

Supermarkets sound the death knell for local businesses and other smaller stores. If Sainsbury’s take over B&Q, we’ll be left with many other smaller vacant stores.

When there is a limited amount of money to go around, surely we really don’t need yet another food store? We already have Morrisons, Asda, Co-op, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, all two to eight minutes away by car.

Perhaps the new store will be mainly for the use of students – the area is becoming more and more student focused and we are soon to be blessed with another 615 of them at Heslington East. I wonder if anyone with any power has thought that perhaps the site should be use for housing. This could prevent some of the wanton destruction of the green belt that is being proposed and replace some of the family homes being turned into houses of multiple occupation.

C Young, Vanbrugh Drive, York.