Sir – While the Green Belt and associated policies have been successful at preventing the physical growth of Oxford this has not been costless.

Its success in restraining development around an economically buoyant city has resulted in Oxford being one of the most unaffordable areas of the country in terms of housing costs relative to local earnings.

The price is paid by local families whose budgets are under strain because of mortgage costs and high rents, by those in poor accommodation because that is all they can afford and those depending on the generosity of families and friends while they search for somewhere they can afford. The overall cost in terms of stress and unhappiness is incalculable. Those of us comfortably housed and with equity in our properties do very nicely out of this situation: “Pull the rope up, Jack. I’m alright!”

That Oxford and its environs need more housing — and a lot of it — is a no-brainer. That there is undeveloped land of no great landscape merit in the area is obvious to anyone looking around — and this without breaching the sacred walls of the Green Belt.

If the Coalition Government is to be congratulated on one thing it is its realisation that England faces a severe shortage of housing and that recent policy has to be adjusted in favour of people’s lives against green fields.

And to lay one canard to rest: no one is proposing a return to 1930s-style ribbon development. Finally, a housing boom helped pull the country out the the 1930s depression. Worth trying again?

Henry Brougham, Kidlington