I am writing with reference to Mr and Mrs Graham's letter published in the Wimbledon Guardian (Community will say no to homes, August 24.) The members of Haydons Bridge Residents' Association (HBRA) sympathise with the problems they are facing at Cliveden Road. It is a common practice for Merton planning department to ignore residents' objections.

Just to give an example, on August 17 the planning committee approved plans to build a petrol station next to the River Wandle walk and right in the middle of a flood plain. Since two further petrol stations are very close by, we felt that moving this petrol station 200 yards down from where it already stands was totally unnecessary. Particularly since it could potentially cause land contamination in its proposed new location.

A petition against this development with over 200 signatures, supported by the ward councillors, was ignored.

So was our request for deferral of the planning meeting, which was strategically placed in the holiday period when none of the objectors could attend (the notice of the planning meeting arrived unexpectedly only a few days before).

This is usual behaviour for Merton planning department. Although there had been two previous deferrals, since all parties - including the planning committee - found this a very complex and confusing application, instead of requesting the applicants to modify the plans - as would be done to ordinary residents - nothing was said. The application came back to the next meetings without a single alteration to the original plans.

However, if it had been a small resident's application, a loft extension for example, all the laws of the land would have been exercised, and possibly it would have been turned down.

Instead, everything went smoothly to their plan and important planning issues have been disregarded.

The reason why the Environmental Agency suddenly changed its course of action - it had previously taken issue with the proposed application - will remain a mystery. This leaves us residents stunned and powerless.

The conditions that the Environment Agency set out for the petrol station development will most likely be a problem to monitor for Merton Council as it lacks the appropriate expertise within its planning department.

This leaves the Wandle vulnerable to an ecological disaster should flooding occur due to the threat of global warming.

PAOLA FRANCIA- GARDINER Vice-chairman HBRA