Crowning glory for Eston precinct.

I WOULD like to thank John J Ward from Stokesley (Wrong Address, 30.07.09) for his help on the Eston precinct regarding my letter to the Crown Estates.

Can I reassure people that we are communicating on a regular basis with the Crown Estates and the developer to get the civil works started on the Eston shopping precinct.

Redcar & Cleveland Council, with the developer, have been close before in early 2003 to developing Eston shopping precinct only to see it not take place.

We are doing everything possible in difficult times to move the development forward.

Redcar & Cleveland officers are in close contact with the Crown Estates and we are looking to find a way to resolve the issues around the common areas on the site as quickly as possible.

COUNCILLOR GEORGE R DUNNING, Leader, Redcar & Cleveland Council and Teesville ward councillor * I WOULD like to correct your reader John J Ward (Wrong Address, 30.07.09).

The Crown Estates is a company which manages the Crown lands on behalf of the Government. The lands still belong to the Crown and cannot be sold, but must pass down to the next monarch.

However the revenue from those lands goes to the Treasury in return for the civil list, as stated by your reader.

Last year that revenue was pounds 225m so it wasn't a bad deal for the Government but, to my mind, it was a very poor deal for the Royal Family.

Complaining about paying out pounds 41m is unwarranted when you consider the Government still makes a profit of pounds 184m.

Perhaps the Government would like to reverse the original agreement and let the Queen have the profit from her lands and then she can pay for all the repairs, wages, etc, herself? Even if she paid tax on that little lot she'd still get more than the Government pay her.

DEBRA DIXON, Stockton