Two items in the edition of September 3, 2021, caught my eye. The Countryside Charity (p21) and the Brett Ellis column (p27) both wrote about building homes on green belt land.

Much of the land in Hertsmere and Three Rivers Districts is green belt, which Conservatives should be conserving. As they have also decreed that 300,000 house should be built each year, this could be seen as a problem if this number is to be shared out fairly across the land.

In the article about the Countryside Charity is the statement “only about 10 per cent of new homes in green belt land are considered affordable”. Why? Are only detached 4/5 bedroom houses acceptable? This means each one takes up a much larger plot of land. Terraces such as those in Bath and London can be beautiful, take up much less land, be 2/3 bedroom homes and are more likely to be affordable. More homes in the same acreage. Smaller amount of land needed. Why not?

Rosemary Ruston

Oxhey Hall, Watford