WHAT is an affordable home? Is it one which an ordinary person can afford, with a mortgage they can afford? What would that be?

Consider the recent reported stories, all of which refer to the provision of "affordable homes".

The huge developments at Germany Beck and Derwenthorpe are to provide a proportion of affordable homes.

Alongside which there is to be a £500 million expansion of the University of York, likely to attract 4,500 jobs, many of whose holders will need homes, maybe in the new developments.

Many more students will be needing accommodation in the area, some probably sharing family homes, which will be sold for rent, reducing the availability of such homes.

A recent letter had a very interesting suggestion: it was that the new homes proposed should have embedded in them as many energy-saving materials and devices, including renewable energy devices as possible, which I believe is future Government policy.

Including such technology, even in small doses, will increase building costs, resulting in more expensive homes.

It was also pointed out the Government policy for new housing is to require that for every 450 "unaffordable" homes there must be built 245 "affordable" homes. Presumably all homes should be afforded by someone.

The question still needs to answered, as to what is an "affordable home"?

It seems very likely that such a phenomenon will not be provided for by the developments referred to.

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.


* IN response to the letter by Bob Peel regarding Derwenthorpe (New homes row still rumbles on, The Press, May 28), I have no preference either way regarding this development, but I do object to his last comment regarding giving up things in order to be able to buy a house.

Our total income is less than £20,000 per annum. Perhaps he knows of a large shed we could buy in York, or anywhere else for that matter.

Young couples have no chance of being able to afford anywhere to live on the average salaries in York. So if we didn't have a family holiday, didn't smoke (not that we ever have) and didn't have a car, we still would have nowhere near enough money coming in to afford to buy a house. We used to have one many moons ago, but the interest rates of the early 1990s put paid to that.

Start again - no chance of that is there? Unless Bob finds us a des-res shed to buy. It needs two bedrooms, by the way.

Julie Maycock, Jacobi Close, York.