YORK Central MP Rachael Maskell has won a meeting with government officials about the state of the city housing market.

The move follows several calls from the MP, who has complained of landlords buying up homes for the holiday lets market, making housing unaffordable to many city residents.

In a debate on planning reform, Ms Maskell said in parliament this week: "York is being overrun by investors hoovering up our new build by either leaving those properties empty or using them for Airbnb.

"That is causing the market to heat up, which is having a really disruptive impact and choking off opportunity for future buyers in my constituency. How will the Minister use his planning reforms to ensure we are not just building to numbers, but to local need?"

Housing Minister Stuart Andrew replied: "The honourable lady is right. The reforms are about empowering local communities to develop local plans and engage with the development of those local plans to identify the housing needs of each area.

"She is right to raise the issue on second homes and Airbnb."

He added: "As I said to her the other day in the meeting we had, I look forward to potentially hosting a roundtable with her and colleagues around North Yorkshire to address those very issues."