YORK housebuilder Persimmon has criticised planning policy in Britain for constraining new housing in the country for decades.

The firm's chief executive Jeff Fairburn has been reported as attacking "destructive" and "indefensible" campaigns against new housing, which are taken onboard as part of the planning process.

Simon Usher, deputy managing director at Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, has supported the views of the group’s chief executive regarding the planning process.

He told The Press: "There are some authorities within the Yorkshire area where it is impossible to predict the outcome of planning applications even where the council itself has made a policy decision for housing to be in the area.

"Thankfully in those situations we have some recourse to appeal, but it takes so much time and resource, and delays all the benefits that good quality local housing can bring to the area.

"However, within our region we have seen some great examples of successful planning applications where the council really sees the benefits of house building in terms of providing direct construction jobs, aiding the local economy and bringing affordable homes to local people.

“This has been evident in York where the council has taken bold decisions, nailed its colours to the mast and decided to go for growth. It is not always popular with the electorate, but the councillors have the conviction that it is right for the city as a whole.

"We will continue to stress that good quality local housing is a good thing and should be harnessed rather than spurned."