LIBERAL Democrat councillor Ann Reid is right to say that it is a cheap trick for Labour to try and blame City of York Council for the housing situation in York (Focus on city homes crisis, January 23).

The fact remains that the Liberal Democrats have pursued pretty much the same strategy as the previous Labour administration in advancing new developments on green belt land at Metcalfe Lane, Osbaldwick and Germany Beck, while dragging their feet on the redevelopment of brownfield sites.

The council's case at last year's public inquiry that the planned development at Metcalfe Lane was needed because of an insufficient supply of brownfield land looks more and more unconvincing. Since then, the redevelopment of York Central has been put on hold and new sites at Nestlé and British Sugar have been identified.

We need a cross-party consensus on making a priority of brownfield development so as to preserve the remaining green spaces on the edge of the city.

This is implicit in York's Local Development Framework core strategy, which seeks the protection and enhancement of nature conservation, bio-diversity and valued landscapes within the city of York.

Yes, we do need to ensure that people can get decent homes at affordable prices, but this need not be at the expense of further erosion of York's green spaces.

John Greenway MP, Town Street, Old Malton.