Sir, - I am gob smacked. Yes, it is in the Oxford dictionary. Not a pretty expression and the first time, I think, I have ever used it, but here it is warranted.

I gaze out from my sitting room window, with wonderment, at the thirteenth century pack horse lane, a few yards above the thirteenth century bar and I am thrilled to be so close to history.

Cornforth Hill is one of the oldest, unspoilt, parts of historical Richmond, much loved by walkers, tourists, artists and students and it must be one of the most photographed areas.

I must be on many photographs, taken from Castle Walk, while I have sat outside on a sunny day sipping a cup of tea, my little cat on my knee, feeling historic! Is all this to change? I very much hope not.

Yet, the resident of 12 Castle Hill has put in a planning application permission to take from us "Cornforth Hill-ites" at least three parking spaces and stick a horrid twenty-first century garage across the pack horse lane, demolishing part of a beautiful grey stone wall, and into the grassy bank opposite. Yet he does not even live in Cornforth Hill.

When the resident of 12 Castle Hill bought his property he was fully aware he had no parking and obviously no sense of history.

Please, please, show your love of historic Richmond by objecting to this by writing to Richmondshire planning and development, Springwell House, c/o Naomi Kempson.

JENNIFER M JACKSON

Cornforth Hill,

Richmond.