THE response by Coun James Alexander (Challenging costs, March 22) to my letter (We’re badly served, March 5) is welcome, but I would still like to respond to his remarks.

He is right that the first application was submitted in 2001 and that the Secretary of State granted outline permission in 2007. However, he fails to mention that the developers took almost five years before they submitted a reserved matters application in 2012; and that they also, shortly afterwards, submitted an application to extend the outline permission in order to delay the implementation of the development by up to a further 12 years.

That application is so far undetermined but could well come forward in the future.

He refers to “legal challenges one after the other” but he must appreciate that the parish council commenced judicial review proceedings against his administration’s decision to approve the reserved matters application in 2013 and that this case is still progressing.

The Fulford community has been supportive of the legal action and has contributed more than £6,000 to the Germany Beck fighting fund.

May I thank the organisers of the ‘Help Save Fulford’ event and all residents who have contributed so generously.

Further at fulfordparishcouncil.org.uk

Alan Smith, Chair of Fulford parish council, Fordlands Road, Fulford, York