Houses need a buffer zone

I REFER to "Plan to avoid stressful cities", (Local Counsel, Sept 26) which points out "elements necessary to ease stress and promote health and happiness" are some attributes for a liveable city.
Several studies in western countries show vehicular emissions have detrimental effects on the health of those living near busy roads.
Decisions made by the local authority, whether long-sighted or short-sighted, leave lasting impact on residents living under its jurisdiction.
A case in point are the houses fronting a busy road in Larkin. Along their backyards and separated by a thin strip of space two metres wide, a driveway has been planned to serve several hundred apartment units. Affected residents would suffer perpetually, exacerbated effects from noise, dust and obnoxious emissions from vehicles plying both the front and back of their houses when the project is completed.
Efforts to mitigate this thorny issue appear nowhere in sight. Thus ratepayers would lose out if their welfare is taken for granted or where other pull factors hold sway.
Property depreciation cannot be discounted when factoring in the unhealthy nearness of the road behind the houses.
C. H. Tan
Johor Baru