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Learn from Germans

Everybody recognizes that there is a desperate housing shortage in Britain, without any intelligent analysis about the obvious factors which created this self-destructive situation, such as the extremely damaging distribution of wealth, preventing home ownership.

But there are other reasons. Other nations, such as Germany, have vastly more inspiring views of a united nation in the 21st century, and that produces a great improvement in productivity.

British directors in banks and corporations will never understand that: they have a self-obsessed culture.

But they should be able to understand the technically efficient German house building industry, operating to dimensions of a centimetre or less, working 24/7 in factories.

Machines in the factory manufacture all the close-fitting segments, to be fitted on site for power, broadband and sewage etc.

But more ambitious features, solar power generation, methane generation from biological composting could be included, anaerobic or aerobic, on a community scale.

Considerations such as heat insulation and fire prevention are tackled on a national scale, open to constant inspection where the units are made and tested. Is that cheaper and safer than what we have?

It is true that the splendid homes which I have seen, exported to the UK from Germany because Britain does not possess such a modern technology, were expensive because of the high standards.

But it is the modern technology itself, based upon ‘economies of scale’, which I recommend to British builders, mass production of all the component parts, which have previously been designed to be infinitely variable in their later construction.

The concept of prefab houses after the Second World War was successful for the time, but completely different from what modern technology can do, using computer operated machines.

Every tiny detail of design, transport and construction, with the essential variations, is only possible by the use of truly imaginative pre-planning. Every sharp bend in the roads which the transporter lorries must travel figures in the calculations.

This is the technological future for all nations, but British thinking has to change first.

CN WESTERMAN, Meadow Rise, Brynna, Mid Glam

Soldiers died for us

CORRESPONDENT Howard March suggests that the original message of Remembrance Day was and should be ‘never again’ which is a very interesting viewpoint (SA 31 Oct).

Actually, the message is much more about people and not events, and can surely best be summed up as ‘we will remember them’ with the emphasis once again on ‘them’.

The notion of ‘never again’, while noble and desirable, is sadly unattainable when societies are riven with conflicts.

I was somewhat amazed that Mr March ended his letter by challenging readers to tell him what the British Legion has ever done to prevent future wars.

Surely Mr March isn’t so unaware of the work of the RBL that he somehow thinks it acts as a conciliation service between warring nations; rather The Royal British Legion provides lifelong support for the Armed Forces community - serving men and women, veterans, and their families.

Mr March and others can enjoy the liberty to wear a white poppy simply because men and women died to secure freedom in the two world wars. He can wear either or both with pride.

DES MORGAN, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Trail hunting goes on

I AM writing to raise public awareness of the fact that trail hunting is allowed on land owned by the National Trust.

A recent motion calling for this to be banned by the National Trust was narrowly defeated due to the use of discretionary votes by the National Trust.

The National Trust presents itself as an organisation that protects rural Britain. Sadly, I believe this to be very far from reality and am disappointed but not surprised by the recent result.

Although hunting with dogs is illegal there are many breaches of this legislation and there appears to be little incentive to prosecute offenders.

There is ample information on this subject to be found online for anyone who would like more facts on the matter.

MARIANNE NORTHAM, Address supplied

Cars and music risks

I LOVE cars. I love music. But the way manufacturers are now advertising their new models as some kind of mobile entertainment device is wrong.

Yes, you can plug your phone or device in. Yes, your car can instantly select and switch between every song in your collection.

But you are driving a high speed vehicle that is immensely heavy and very deadly.

We aren’t allowed to use phones in cars but can quite legally spend our time at the wheel flicking through and changing our choice of tunes while barely giving our full attention to the road ahead or behind.

Car makers who advertise their cars as great places to enjoy entertainment in any form are contributing to increasing numbers of crashes.

ROGER LACK, Swindon

Tidy up diving board

I RECENTLY went to Coate Water to visit the Tree Collection and I must say this area is a credit to Swindon. But the visit was marred by the dilapidated state of the Grade II-listed diving board.

I appreciate it is no longer in use, except by the multitude of pigeons, but surely our council could arrange for something to be done if only to remove the vast amount of weeds that are evident.

If they say they cannot afford to maintain it, how about using some of the many hours on community service that are dished out week after week in our courts? Or would the Health And Safety rules not allow it?

DEREK BENFIELD, Hawkswood, Covingham, Swindon

It’s time for action

Yet again the Marine manager Dave Webb is not happy with team performance.

Well, Mr Webb the buck stops with you you. I have been a supporter now for many years and am afraid your time is up.

You moan about bad team efforts but I am sorry to say we supporters see nothing from you on the touchlines.

We don’t expect you to be Jurgen Klopp but we see nothing from you to encourage the team to do better. Against Hartley on Saturday and when we lost at home to Paulton after being 2-0 up, after the 3rd goals went in all you did was sit down in the dugout and look lost.

As fans we need to see you get angry and show why you’re the manager. It is there for all to see that opposing managers are more vocal than you throughout the games.

It is time to do something Mr Webb, or supporters will stop going to the Webbs Wood.

E EDWARDS, Freshbrook, Swindon

Help for all drivers

IT WAS interesting to read the letter from Lucy Harmer, the director of services at Independent Age, about older drivers.

As many readers would know, I am a Road Safety Practitioner and a member of Swindon Advanced Motorists. We offer a one hour free Public Assessment Drive which would help all drivers in having their driving assessed without having to worry about a ‘fail.’

We offer a £50 refund for drivers aged 25 and under after they have passed the IAM Test after benefitting from our guidance. (We have about eight places left.) That is off of the total fee of £149.

If anyone, older or younger needs an assessment,contact www.swindondrivers.com or www.iamroadsmart.com / Groups (Swindon) We are a registered charity.

CHRIS GLEED, Proud Close, Purton

Please return photo RECENTLY I had two main events in my life, I reached a big birthday and my mum died.

Both these events raised money for the Hydro Pool so I would like to say a big thank you to all those people who helped raise the money, especially my brother Mike Goodenough, my daughter and son-in-law Dave, my son Jonathan and his partner Claire and my beautiful granddaughter Faith for the lovely floral arrangement also my sister for struggling through the door with the balloons and my sister-in-law Kate for doing mum’s garden, for all the love and support and help they have given me, but most of all my husband Ken, who has been my rock. The amount raised is £268.

Also can the person or persons who have accidentally taken a photo of mum from the wake please return it as this has made my grief harder to bear.

It’s a one-off photo, no negatives, no replacement. Return to the Swindon Advertiser for the attention of Ian Parker and he will forward it to me. Many thanks.

MRS LINSTEAD, Wheeler Avenue, Swindon

Sort out homes crisis

SWINDON Council spent £68m on caring for the elderly last year - an increase of £4m on the previous year.

The Baby Boomer generation are the first in history to be rapidly extending their lives into their 90s and even further.

It is the young generation that have to carry the heavy cost of caring for earlier generations.

The mathematics of this do not add up. House prices and rents have risen out of the reach of young people.

The Government expects the young generation to pay for the NHS at a time when they are struggling to find a place to live.

The young generation in Britain have been sold down the river on housing. The country cannot prosper until we sort out the current housing crisis in Britain.

STEVE HALDEN, Beaufort Green, Swindon

Is this your watch?

ON FRIDAY, October 27 I found a wrist watch, undamaged, in the Granville Street car park.

If anyone has a claim to this watch, call 790425 with some details.

CHRIS JAMES, High Street, Wanborough