Your readers will be aware that smoking is to be banned in pubs in England from July, in line with other parts of Britain and Ireland.

What they may not know is that pubs are attempting to circumvent this ruling, in advance of the ban in July, by means of planning applications for external awnings.

In Ireland, the Government is considering banning awnings (which have mushroomed there over the last couple of years) as they have become virtual pub extensions, complete with heaters, bright lights, large TV screens, cigarette vending machines and gambling machines.

In Sutton, the first such planning application for an awning was submitted by Greene King to the Development Control Committee on February 28. This was in respect of the Butterchurn pub at the junction of Florian Avenue, Orchard Way and Erskine Rd.

This application set a precedent, but residents from the Erskine Village and Benhill Community Association were able to successfully defeat this application. It was rejected by councillors on the grounds of a large increase in noise and light pollution causing a nuisance to neighbours, increased disturbances for neighbours all the year round, not just in the summer months, encouragement of youths to congregate outside the pub, leading to an increase in anti-social behaviour and increased carbon emissions from outside heaters at a time when the council is trying to encourage green energy use.

Interestingly, the Government has recently suggested that planning applications, in future, should have strong regard for environmental implications such as the likelihood of increasing the carbon footprint.

We believe there will be a whole string of these applications over the coming months in Sutton. But other local residents should have confidence that they too can stop such awnings, just as the members of the EVBCA have recently done in the case of the Butterchurn (subject, though, to any future planning appeals).

If we want our health to improve, we do not want it ruined by the actions of a small percentage of the population, in their attempt to circumvent the law. Surely, it would be better to encourage programmes to give up smoking, rather than put up anti-social awnings which disturb and annoy neighbours?

JILL WHITEHEAD Chair, Erskine Village and Benhill Community Association