Madam, - Airfield House and gardens in Dundrum have a unique sense of place. To make any decision on the house based on architectural merit alone is to miss the whole point of the legacy of the Overend family.
Let the arbiters of the fate of this oasis be the people who enjoy a walk in the walled gardens, the open-air play on the front lawn on midsummer's night, or the many art exhibitions and concerts held in the house throughout the year.
Planners have given permission for the new multi-storey shopping monstrosity in Dundrum, and the towering apartment blocks that look onto Airfield.
Protecting Airfield as a precious recreational resource for future generations should not be up to the same planners. - Yours, etc.,
Dr ORLA DONOGHUE, Balally Avenue, Dundrum, Dublin 16.