The population of Bude was 7000 when we came here 30 years ago. It's now in excess of 10000. The reason for the increase is a massive estate of soulless housing behind Morrisons and a massive development at Binhamy Farm, vehemently opposed by locals and Cornwall Council, but overridden by fatty Eric Pickles. There's another major scheme in the offing in Stratton, next door to Bude, that seems certain to go ahead. There are no plans for new schools and the local primaries and our one secondary are bursting at the seams. The next nearest secondary is ten miles away via a rotten bus service. The road infrastructure is a nightmare. The local sewage works can't cope, and it stinks to high heaven in summer during the tourist season. The medical centre is completely overrun. There is no way I can get an appointment to see my GP in less than six weeks unless I join the daily 8.30 am telephone treadmill, even then with little chance of success. The nearest main hospital is forty miles away and the nearest mainline station is an hour's drive at Bodmin Parkway. There are three or four buses a day to Exeter, a two-hour journey. Yet the powers that be seem determined to build hundreds of little boxes on prime agricultural land. The concept of affordable housing is paid minimal lip service. You wanna sell a few acres for building little boxes all the same? You've cracked it! You live in Tory England! Baksheesh is everything!