Why the big fuss about the Debenhams site? I see no reason why the Debenhams site should get preferential treatment from councillors.

An art centre? How many other sites have included anything remotely resembling anything arty? Retail? No, we have enough boarded-up shops. Hospitality? Guildford already has a hefty number of theatres, cafes, pubs and clubs.

Let’s mirror what seems to happen on every other building site in the area …

First, let’s cut all the trees down and make way for the diggers. Then, let’s have a plan that maximises the amount of homes for the site, the bigger the better.

And we won’t worry about the impact on the nearby neighbours either. Yes, it will probably ruin the look of our lovely river (I don’t think it has a special protection), kill most of the wildlife around it for many years and pollute the ground.

While we’re at it, we can cause traffic mayhem by expecting all the new cars to clutter that part of a major junction. Don’t build any new schools and I wouldn’t worry too much about the extra medical care and utility needs of the future.

Protection of older, listed buildings? Surely we should just ignore that too.

If it floods, oh well, we can say we did consult on it.

There won’t be anything affordable, the viability clause will put an end to all that nonsense.

So, let’s treat the Debenhams site just the same as every other large site in the area and push through a hoard of expensive executive housing to the detriment of anything else.

If not, then I expect to see all the other sites treated with an equal focus and respect, perhaps starting with the fields and AONB of Blackwell Farm.