BLOGGER Chris Wain (Journal Postbag, March 7) said that we are going to use Chinese marble to re-surface the Market Place.

The decision to use granite (not marble) for the surface of the squares was taken based on the requirements we have for the Market Place.

It has to be durable to take the weight of the Market and Charter Fair, level but have good grip in the wet, be easy to clean and able to be repaired after work by utility companies.

Based on that, officers came to the conclusion that granite would be the best surface. We then looked at where we could source it and made sure it was also cost effective. You cannot get British granite any more, the options were Chinese or Portuguese and the difference in cost between the two was significant for no difference in quality.

We could use a British sourced surface but it would be more expensive, break up sooner and not be as effective. Based on that I would rather have the right surface, even if it comes from China.

With regard to the Maltings, Stanhope islooking at building a hotel on the site along with retail and leisure facilities. Stahhope is a commercial developer that would not be suggesting building more retail sites unless it thought they could be let.

It is easy to make critical statements but these are important issues for the city and I hope that people will give serious thought to the Maltings and how we can improve it, what we do and don’t want on the site.

RICHARD CLEWER, Chairman Salisbury Area Board and Wiltshire councillor

I AGREE with cllr Ricky Rogers about using slabs from Devon and Cornwall for the Market Place (Postbag, March 7).

Better still, why not Chilmark stone? After all, the cathedral was built from it and it’s still standing more than 700 years later.

SYLVIE BIGGS, Laverstock

REGARDING the new Market Place paving – will it be the usual three years before the potholes appear?

STAN GORDON, Bishopdown