Sir – I think your correspondent Justine Garbutt may be wrong in asserting that the planning process is holding back growth in the economy, because most planning applications of any moment attract instant opposition from neighbours, pressure groups and reactionaries — and all these objectors have to have their say, for example the opposition to HS2.

But her analysis is absolutely correct in divining how it is we have little or no affordable housing, ie land holders have no interest other than maximising their profit on land deals.

While we have about 6,000 families needing a house, this is an area of activity that is seriously in need of drastic reform: political parties please note.

Simon Norris, Oxford