The government wants to encourage more building to increase the housing stock and help the building industry, which is feeling the pinch from the economic recession.

I've been watching a series on BBC Two, Wales,screened at eight o'clock on Thursdays. It'smain focus isthe decisions of Chester Council's Planning Department.

One episode showed how the Planning Committee decidedto grant permission for a development of new houses onfields that nearbyresidents wanted to protect,because they did not want to lose the views.Government guidelines were adhered to and there was no reason to refuse the developer going ahead.

By co-incidence, the following day,I came acrossa judgement of 1610 concerning ahouseholder who had built a pigsty (twlc) at the side of his house.Neighbours held that the pigsty took awaytheir view but the judge declared that, while views are a delight, they cannot be regarded as a right.

Chester is a town which has interesting old houses, lovely tiledroofs, unusual chimney pots and I was amazed when two retired doctors were granted permission to install solar panels into the roof of their old house. From the city walls it's possible to take a walk and look down on the tops ofhouses and these panels could be seen clearly, like a bloton theold building. (I'm not inferring that a newer house should not have panels, but a historic building is different - for me, if not the Planners.) I couldn't accept the argument of the doctors, who saidthis was the twenty first century, requiring residents to'move with the times.' People are lucky to live in an old house; if they don't respect it's agetheyshouldmove to a newer house.

Haverfordwesthasvery few old buildings thathave been preserved.Some of the 'modern' buildings in the town are little more than an eye-sore. I'm thinking particularly of the former tax office, a box-like constructioncomposed of blue,plastic lookingpanels with so many windows thatstaff found the rooms uncomfortably bright.

So many modern buildings look like a child's construction made of cardboard boxes.What I mourn arethe old stone cottages that used to be dotted around the Welsh country side, with earth floors and corrugated lean-to's at the side. Of course, they had no running water, electricity or any modern conveniences and St Fagan's has preserved many of them, but I know that many places brought 'up to date' in the fifties, just became ugly boxes rendered in pebble dash, possessing no charm.

I'm not advocating that we do nothing innovative architecturally but manynew buildings look tatty within a few years, whereas Georgian houses retain their elegance. And as forPlanning Committees? It is difficult to second guess them.