IT’S saddening that while we are told York is ready to welcome refugees, the council continues to fail to provide enough housing for people already here.

Back at the meeting at which it was decided Reynards garage was to be demolished for financial reasons, I suggested innovative alternatives from my experience in Sheffield and other European cities which would allow small-scale manufacturing and low-rent housing back into the city centre.

Now we discover, surprise surprise, that possible plans for the area include a “luxury hotel” and more bland and developer (read profit) led flats.

How can we reconcile our public charity with practices aimed at tourists, not residents or the needy?

J Taylor, York