I travelled back by train from London on Sunday and was suddenly struck by the first unwelcoming view visitors have of human habitation in this fine and historic town.

The new homes at the bizzarely-named Yours South Lynn screamed "Welcome to Lynningrad" to me as they came into sight across the current wasteland.

This new and unfamiliar view to me from my vantage point on the train of the multi-coloured, multi-shaped boxes immediately put me in mind of a desolate Siberian frontier mining town – all its inhabitants busy at the salt face.

Judge for yourself, above left; I've been a little naughty and got the Lynn News artist to blend together the new development at South Lynn and the Russian mining town of Kadykchan (which means valley of death and is also known as the city of broken dreams). Can you see the join? South Lynn is the portion on the right!

I'm hoping the shock of the similarity will bring the architects to their senses.

I don't want to be hurtful to the people living in South Lynn, and certainly not to the people now living in the new homes, but this disastrous design should not be extended. Having said that, plans we have been shown for the new primary school at South Lynn already extend this higgledy-piggledy colour uncoordinated theme.

Call me old-fashioned (I don't care, 'cos I am) but what's wrong with conventionally-styled homes made from traditional materials with streets and pavements and gardens?

I know that a massive planting scheme is underway alongside the Nar Ouse Way, but surely landscaping with shrubs and trees should complement a development and not be necessary in order to hide it.
If we don't pause now, take stock and rethink this I can see another Hillington Square heading down the tracks.

• It's a long time since we've had the strength of feeling against anything that the current plan to scrap free car parking for disabled people has caused (see the letters' page in today's Lynn News).

Last week I urged an about-turn on this mean-spirited and penny-pinching policy.

The council is now in seriously hot water with tax payers and, fairly predictable in view of comments from leader Nick Daubney, the uncomfortable question of council employees getting "free" town centre car parking has again raised its ugly head.

Some protestors have suggested that elected members also get free car parking. Can this be true?

In the grand scheme of things the cost of allowing free parking for the physically disadvantaged is peanuts. Serious backpedalling please.