Readers' views

摘要

Rory Stewart should not be worrying that the first half of 2019 saw the lowest number of private homes begun in the capital since 2012. The housing crisis is not in the private sector, it is in the public sector - the rented sector ("Rony Stewart on Sadiq Khan's housing failures, beautiful buildings and planting trees in London" 21 February) It is curious that the word "rent" never appeared in the four-page article. Figures show that in 2011 the percentage of new affordable homes was more than three-quarters for "social rent" In 2018, the percentage had fallen to just 14%. In less than a decade, the number of new homes built for social rent dropped by 86%. Instead of worrying unduly about the aesthetic qualities of the design of homes and whether streets will be tree-lined, he should take a leaf from the title of his vehicle for building the homes he proposes -Just Build It! - and let the homes be social-rented homes.