So, the Fitzwilliam Trust has added 300 houses to the 350 houses being built in Malton at Broughton Manor. That is 650 houses, or 32 per cent of the existing population of Malton. Is that not enough?

No, the other branch of the family, the Fitzwilliam (Malton) Estate, would like Malton to shoulder a further 25 per cent north of Castle Howard Road, which would bring the total to 57 per cent. That is 57 per cent more traffic and 57 per cent more of everything relying on the infrastructure.

And do local residents get a say in where this development goes? We have to wait for the Neighbourhood Plan committee to meet on September 30 after a long summer “break”, which is just a bit of breathing space to allow the planning department of Ryedale District Council to deal with the mountain of work for these two applications.

Due to time restrictions these legally take precedence over the development of a Neighbourhood Plan, which would give local people a say in where development takes place, when and in what order. It may be a damage limitation exercise, but an important one none the less.

Thankfully, there is still time to write to Ryedale District Council and join our group – (West) Malton Residents Group – and lobby the planning department and planning committee. Email maltonresidents@gmail.com to find out how we are planning to oppose this development and what you can do.

We have well in excess of a five-year housing supply and as for social housing, I understand from several sources that families with no connection to the area (and some with no jobs) are already moving into the area as social housing is already is excess of local need. It is remotely possible that some (though by no means all) may not share our custom of engaging in very little crime or anti-social behaviour.

We are currently putting written questions to the estate ahead of the information morning on Saturday for which we are asking for a written response. Their address is property@maltonestate.co.uk if you wish to write directly, but if so ask for a written reply and let us have a copy, so we can build a picture of what they are saying.

There are many issues that illustrate that the size of development and the vagueness of detail in the application would be a real concern.

Our town councillors, except Paul Andrews, cannot be relied on any longer to represent the majority of commenters on the proposals.

More than 100 individual letters of objection and two large group objections have been sent. Go to the planning portal, or use malton residents.weebly.com to read all submissions. We also have some lovely pictures of decay in Poundbury, the Prince Charles-associated model for High Malton.

Ian Conlan, Malton