Wasteland for homes

TRAVELLING by train through Birmingham, I was shocked to see acres of derelict buildings and factories. It is not the only city to be blighted by such areas.

There is such a shortage of housing that homes are being planned on greenfield sites and the peace of country villages is being threatened.

Why don’t we redevelop these city eyesores instead? Not everyone wants a semi with a garage, swimming pool or croquet lawn.

Lots of young people just want an affordable flat and many pensioners would be happy to move out of the family home to live in an apartment.

C. LAMBERT, Leeds. I THOUGHT I would rent out the annex to my family home for the mutual benefit of ourselves and a homeless family. However, the planning authority informed us it could only be used as a holiday let.

A friend had an empty shop he could not let, so he applied for a change of use and conversion to a two-bedroom, ground-floor flat.

This application was rejected on the grounds that the ‘retention of shops is vital for the High Street’.

JOHN NOYES, Yelverton, Devon.