LETTER : Conservation in the suburbs

I HAPPEN to be one of the "middle-aged, middle-class" residents living on the Mapesbury estate in Brent. Susan Pennington's article, "An Englishman's home is his hassle" (12 March), presumably intended to publicise her much toned-down Public Eye programme on BBC2 last Tuesday, was a prime example of misleading journalism.

Far from being "self-appointed heritage police" or "cultural Stasi", the local Conservation Committee is elected by residents. I can only think that the "virtual war" Pennington describes breaking out during the discussion was set up for the occasion (no pro-conservationists were invited) and was sparked off by her attitude.

Her implied sneer that Mapesbury ("the suburbs") has no right to conservation is deeply offensive to the communally minded people who live in it.

Penelope Mortimer

London NW2