I M disturbed by the number of redevelopment projects in and around the Hampstead area that involve the demolition of an existing building to replace it with high density housing. Anyone who travels down the Finchley Road from Hampstead Garden Suburb to

I'M disturbed by the number of redevelopment projects in and around the Hampstead area that involve the demolition of an existing building to replace it with high density housing.

Anyone who travels down the Finchley Road from Hampstead Garden Suburb to Swiss Cottage can't fail to notice the boards going up outside older buildings in preparation for demolition work.

Demolition work has also begun on the old Royal Oak pub in Temple Fortune. In addition Barnet Council appears to be on the brink of granting planning permission to demolish a family house in Aylmer Road to be replaced by a really unattractive apartment block - all the more incongruous as it will be the only building of this sort in the entire street.

These are irreversible decisions which fundamentally change the character of the area. None of the new blocks that replace the old housing stock will be of any architectural merit but will instead be the identikit bulky designs which yield the maximum profit to property developers without regard for the residents of the surrounding houses or the built environment.

The increase in population density will place further strain on the already jammed roads and public services.

I'd like to appeal to your readers to take a look at the planning decisions section on Barnet Council's website.

There are further developments planned that will affect all of us in some way. We live in an area that still has a great number of attractive buildings but rising numbers of them face the bulldozer.

I'd also like to appeal to our local councillors - the residents of the wards that you represent should be the single most important factor when considering any planning application.

John Sells

Asmuns Hill, NW11