I WAS sad to read the report of the threat to Burton Croft.

More alarming still was the quote from a Barratt spokesman who said: "The proposed scheme is very much in accordance with national guidance to build at higher densities on land with a former use rather than on green-field land" (July 8). Surely this sort of reasoning poses a threat to many more buildings of character in the city.

I hope both officers and councillors will vigorously oppose moves by developers to demolish properties of this type, just as the initial application to pull down the Gimcrack hotel was refused.

Darrell Buttery,

Chairman,

York Civic Trust,

Fairfax House,

Castlegate, York.

Updated: 10:20 Tuesday, July 22, 2003