Recently, there have been many potential housing developments mentioned and promises made for inclusion of "affordable" housing.

I am sure reader of The Argus would be interested to learn just what constitutes affordable housing. Would it be possible for people to purchase a flat for say, £60,000, £80,000 or £100,000?

Alternatively, what would an affordable rent be? These issues are, apparently, never explored or published. Brighton is and always has been a low wage area, although it is part of the so-called affluent South East.

I am sure many people would agree that a substantial amount of the affordable housing available should be offered to people born in the Brighton area or at least those who have lived here for a number of years.

Brighton has now become an area where many youngsters born here can no longer afford to live here independently. It seems wrong that local people should be expected to move away from their families and friends, while newcomers are being welcomed with open arms, especially if they can afford the higher prices demanded by developers.

Perhaps The Argus could ask Brighton and Hove City Council what its position is when discussing affordable housing and attempt to make some provision for local youngsters.

There would need to be some sort of liaison in place to ensure that people interested in obtaining affordable housing knew how to go about obtaining it. I also feel measures should be taken to exclude such housing being taken up by entrepreneurs, merely to be sold on or let at inflated prices at a later date.

This, I am sure, could be achieved if these matters were given appropriate in depth consideration by the council planning department. It might mean some various council department heads would need to work together on this one but surely it is worth trying?

Avril Malins

-Hillcrest, Westdene, Brighton