MR Wilson's letter crosses the line of sensible objection to Derwenthorpe and contains serious inaccuracies (May 18).

The new community will comprise 135 homes (25 per cent) at affordable, subsidised rents. These will be scattered amid the housing for sale and will look the same.

If the environment is attractive, as we intend, then the homes for sale will fetch relatively high prices. We are also affected by the rapid growth in house prices in York.

The only way to reduce open market prices would be to have a low quality development - which is not what we intend.

Of course, most people who buy will be "trading up" and selling a cheaper home elsewhere.

As well as renting and open market home ownership, Derwenthorpe will include subsidised home ownership.

There will be a minimum of 54 homes (ten per cent). If there are surpluses from the whole development we will plough these back into providing additional subsidised homes for sale (concentrating on key workers such as teachers and nurses).

Mr Wilson is completely wrong in asserting that "only ten per cent of the homes are to be for rent" and he also misrepresents the importance of low-cost home ownership which is a more affordable option for those unable to meet the cost of full ownership.

York faces real shortages of affordable housing and Derwenthorpe could make a significant contribution towards easing these.

Richard Best,

Director,

Joseph Rowntree Foundation,

The Homestead,

Water End, York.

...RECENT articles in the press, including the Evening Press, have highlighted the shortage of low-cost housing while at the same time there are estimated to be some 400,000 empty houses throughout the country.

While accepting that many of the houses may well be in areas of low demand, I believe it is morally indefensible for owners to keep houses empty for no justifiable reason.

In the small village of Elvington there are three adjoining small semi-detached houses which appear to be habitable but which have remained empty for at least seven years and possibly more, for no apparent reason.

At present local authorities have no powers to force owners to market these empty properties. However, I believe that amendments to the council tax system could provide the necessary "incentive".

At present a period of 12 months is allowed to dispose of a property, during which time council tax is not payable while the property remains empty.

I propose that after this initial period council tax should be payable at twice the rate for the second year, three times the rate for the third year and so on until the property is sold or let.

Safeguards would have to be included to cover the potential of "short lets" or selling to associated companies to avoid the increased rate.

Given the substantial increase in house prices during the year, I believe only a punitive tax system would persuade owners to release these empty houses on to the market.

Richard Starks,

The Green,

Elvington, York.

Updated: 10:14 Wednesday, May 26, 2004