Letters & comment

摘要

What is missing here is the power for the local planning authorities to truly insist that affordable houses are built ("Ministers lay out plans to fix 'broken' housing market", www.building.co.uk, 7 February 2017). That means houses that are affordable to those paid a more common salary than the average salary. Building affordable to the "average" salary often still means prices are out of the reach of what might be classed as essential workers. They are not able to get a mortgage based on their salary even though, in many cases, what they are paying in private rent would cover mortgage payments. We are turning the UK into one where the few will own property and become "super landlords" renting to the majority. Those who care for our health, care for our elderly and teach our children, to name a few, will disappear in areas where they cannot afford to live.