Councillor Alan Williams' new ploy to bring Marks & Spencer into the 48.5m tower squashed onto the arts centre (which is excuse for its development) shows he is scraping the barrel.

Marks & Spencer used to be innovative but it is common knowledge that after betraying the British rag trade they are in a downhill spiral. They still make the best underwear but it's not pants they are offering North Finchley but over-packaged food.

Thank goodness Councillor Brian Coleman and Darren Johnson are standing up for the people who voted them on the GLA and doing their best to stop this environmental disaster. Yes, an arts centre would be great for the community but not with this ugly, unwieldy design which will bring increased traffic and pollution.

The existing plan incorporates a tower block which uses no new technology and has no facilities for recycling or waste separation.

The building would wreck the skyline and create an awful precedent for new buildings.

Miranda Dunn

Glenhill Close, Finchley