SIR, I see work has begun on a care home on Skimmingdish Lane, on the site of the old church allotments.

As it’s on the edge of the floodplain, let’s hope it doesn’t suffer like the poor residents of Hanover Gardens – who were flooded out at Christmas.

When they build the 70-odd homes planned for the spit of land between the cycle path and Glory Farm estate, which was flooded recently, where will all the water go then?

The land, which were the old allotments, was given to the church several centuries ago – before councils were around to look after us and when that sort of pastoral role was carried out by the church.

I believe the purpose of the bequest was for the benefit of the people of Launton.

If this is correct, I do hope the Church of England (Diocese of Oxford) arrange as part of their (presumably) multi-million pound deal with the home’s owners for a couple of places at the home to be set aside – free of charge – for the poor of Launton.

It would be a nice way of compensating the village for depriving them of their land.

Lawrence Webb, Glory Farm estate, Bicester