So the inevitable has happened. Barwood Land have appealed the council’s decision on the proposed houses next to Askham Bog (Appeal against Askham Bog homes refusal, August 17).

A real test now lies ahead now for those on the planning committee who rightly rejected it. Will they fight this appeal with everything they have, or will the members just sit back and offer empty rhetoric from the sidelines?

In the case of Clifford’s Tower it was left for others to organise the resistance movement, and I suspect the same will happen here. We should all be ready to crowdfund this ourselves, as once it happens the damage will be irreversible.

It’s also worth noting the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has the power to recover a planning appeal which has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and take the decision himself. So if anybody spots Julian Sturdy, ask him to pull a few strings with his fellow Conservative MPs.

Dr Scott Marmion, Woodthorpe, York