The graphic from Essex County Council’s bid for £229 million to realign the A12 through Marks Tey, Copford and Easthorpe to make room for a giant housing estate was almost cartoon-like in its simple, clinical design.

A pink cabin with a pair of simple conifers is used to represent 21,000 houses.

I think, however, it might be more helpful for readers to view the graphic on a satellite image, to see the reality of the communities, homes, fields and hedgerows that would be severed, razed, concreted and ripped out to accommodate this expensive and unnecessary plan.

I was clearly mistaken, when Kevin Bentley said again and again to residents of Marks Tey and Copford that the A12 realignment through the villages would happen "over my dead body".

I always thought that meant he was opposed to the proposal.

Now I can only assume it was simply his intent to be a part of the foundations.

Helen Hogan

Copford