Does Britain need so many new homes?

THERESA MAY has stated that we need hundreds of thousands of new homes to solve the housing crisis (Mail). At this time of shortages, are there plans for new reservoirs, gas holders, power stations and sewerage works to serve these buildings? Mrs M. A. HAY, Studley, Warks.

WE DON’T want our villages turned into towns and our towns turned into cities. We must fight these ridiculous housing quotas. T. SAYER, Bristol.

GOVERNMENT figures for new-build houses will always be wrong. When granted permission to build, often hard fought for, builders are given three years to start. They sell this on to other builders or put down footings for a few houses, with no date for completion. Builders should be given just one year to start after permission is granted and a date to complete by. Failure to meet these targets should lead to heavy fines or the land being sold to a developer willing to abide by the timescales. GERRY BYRNE, Snettisham, Norfolk.

WHILE it is reasonable for the Government to want to put pressure on construction companies to build more houses, would it not be more practical to provide builders with assurances that their houses will be sold? The Community Infrastructure Levy is a planning charge on builders and can run to thousands of pounds. They are also required to build a certain number of affordable housing in any development — these are expensive, high-spec buildings that are sold at a discount or loss to the builder. With all this outlay, what manner of security will the building companies be afforded? MICHAEL LEATHER, Onchan, Isle of Man.