IN AN age where discrimination is regulated against and equality is enjoyed by all, how can it be right to make house builders provide social housing?

There is no parallel in any other industry, where a business is made to produce up to half of their output for no profit.

How has this punitive legislation, which forces house building to act as part-nationalised or part-charity, been allowed to become acceptable?

At a time where house building has been forced to its knees, with billions wiped off the value of balance sheets and market capitalisations, and returns on capital reduced to levels which make this business almost unviable, isn’t it time this unfair, unreasonable, discriminatory system was abolished?

House builders need to wake up and start fighting their corner, and tell the Government that they refuse to blackmailed into building any more social housing, which is not, and has never been, their responsibility.

The Government needs the house-building industry more than ever, and it is time the industry realised they are in the driving seat, and demanded that affordable housing provision through the planning system is abolished.

Until this happens, the housing shortage will not be addressed.

Paul S Cordock, Durlston Drive, Strensall.