Now that the Starting Gate has joined the Gimcrack in being sold off for housing development (House prices boom shuts Starting Gate, October 30) why not in-fill the site and develop the Knavesmire?

After all, apart from a handful of amateur Sunday soccer matches, it's only used for a few race days each year and can't be cost-effective.

Think of the advantages: a large, flat green-field site, near York city centre yet close to the bypass, big enough for high-rise affordable housing as well as executive homes. And race-day drunks would be a thing of the past.

If anyone became nostalgic for racing, they could always walk round and watch the house prices gallop ahead.

Annie Wright,

Aston Science Park, Love Lane, Birmingham.

Updated: 09:43 Saturday, November 02, 2002