He’s just in denial (From York Press)

He’s just in denial

10:30am Wednesday 19th September 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter

GED WALSH of Yorkshire Housing is bound to defend affordable policies because his job relies on the continued extortion of dwellings from the private sector (Letters, September 13).

He is another one in denial who believes that a lack of mortgage funds and deposits is the reason house-building remains stagnant. This argument does not stand up. Here in York we have large approved housing sites at Terry’s and Nestlé. There are no purchasers unable to find the deposit or get a mortgage for the simple reason these homes don’t yet exist and are not even on the market. Why? Because we house-builders who are expected to finance and build these sites are put off, not by mortgage availability, but by onerous planning conditions and the affordable demands.

The legalised theft of houses from private builders over the past 15 years has produced a significant number of subsidised dwellings, but this cannot continue because we now live in a very different world. The booming economy is busted, yet we face more demands and regulations than ever and the Code for Sustainable Homes pushes costs out of all proportion. House-building no longer stacks up and the sooner politicians and housing association officials recognise this, the better.

John Jones, Sand Hutton, York.