Re. the Cranstoun drug rehabilitation centre in Esher, the issue is not whether it should be closed - as Cranstoun did this itself last year, when it was treating residents after detox - it is whether it should reopen as a centre for nine active drugs abusers, who do not have to make any commitment to detox.

The new model, driven by severe financial constraints, had greater risk, which neither Cranstoun nor the police chose to address, and a lower threshold of safeguards.

It is disingenuous of Mr Glass from Cranstoun to suggest that he had only three minutes to present his case, as he was given further time to respond to legitimate concerns from the local community later in the hearing.

His case was not aided by failure to present timely information, described by councillors as "drip feed at the last moment" and failure to address the legitimate concerns of the community before making the application.

As the Government's General Planning Guide for Residential Drug Treatment Centres makes clear, the location is totally inappropriate, even if the woefully inadequate security levels were enhanced and the required detailed consultation with the local community had taken place.

John Cooney Ember Lane Esher