It is ridiculous to consider building a new shopping centre at the site of the new football stadium.

Southend cannot have two main shopping centres.

All the work that is going towards revamping Victoria Plaza will be wasted if the new shopping centre is built at the stadium.

The High Street is the main shopping area visitors see when they arrive at either of Southend's main railway stations.

During the summer when visitors go to the seafront it is the High Street they see.

I believe it would be a terrible mistake to allow this out-of-town development to go ahead as it would result in the total decline of the High Street.

Celia Newton
Westcliff

...I find myself getting niggled at people like Donna Fillary who constantly bleat about us objectors to the stadium (Echo, January 18).

As for Waitrose, no I did not have a problem with it being built as it would be of benefit to not only myself but also to the elderly who do not have the luxury of a car.

I wasn't too keen on a sports centre, but did not object and the hospital was already there when I moved to my present address.

I have, though, objected most strongly to the council on this massive development as we all know the infrastructure will not be able to cope with it.

It is right I would not be using the ground and it would be of no benefit to me. However, I am also against all the other facilities which may be of benefit, but will cause chaos with the extra traffic.

Once again someone blinded by their own wants spouts off without a thought as to how all this will affect residents. Objectors out there should get one of those free T shirts or flags Ron is giving away and paint a big red cross on it.

S Rowntree
Eastern Avenue
Southend

...How greedy is Ron Martin being?

He's building on Roots Hall football ground and pulling down the shops at the corner of Fairfax Drive and Victoria Avenue and the block of flats on the hill. All to build who knows what?

Then, he wants shops, flats, hotel, training grounds, car parking and the stadium. Some of the buildings at Fossetts Farm are as high as Nelson's column.

Surely, just a larger stadium would have been quite sufficient to help football fans and Southend United Football Club. Don't think this is about football.

D Rose
Sutton Road
Southend