I don’t trust our politicians to halt blight of single dwellings across our landscape

I would agree with Mr O’Hara’s comments about air pollution in Belfast, but he should extend it to other areas, like Sandyknowes roundabout (‘Breathe easy, lockdown is fuelling cleaner, better air’, Philip Bradfield, April 22).

I live in a nice part of Northern Ireland where I walk and cycle.

When I get on to a higher level when out and about, I look at the hills and over countryside and it is plain to see the vandalism that has been done by allowing single dwellings to be built. I would say that my district is not alone.

I still see new builds going up; one in particular has four garages and looks like a hotel.

I have little faith in politicians to stop the blight in the countryside and this includes unionist politicians. When you look at some of the dwellings being put up in the countryside, it shows you that PPS21 is not adequate to stop this abuse.

I have also seen a dwelling being built a short distance from a farmhouse that crosses over a main road into a green field.

It says it all when we are the only country in the UK not to have a national park.

There are 10 in England, three in Wales and two in Scotland. Our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland have six. As was pointed out by Ben Lowry (March 14, see below), around the Mournes, much of it is overrun by single dwellings.

I can only conclude that the main reason we do not have a national park is because of the culture that exists here. I do not care how much money people have, but when planning decisions take away large swathes of the countryside and wildlife habitat, it then becomes all of our concern.

This is not an orange and green issue, but one of protecting the beauty and wildlife of our country for generations to come.

John Mulholland, Doagh

Ben Lowry: The RHI scandal has been a reflection of the struggle to keep good people in politics