HOUSING: Give councils the control

I understand that the Government has plans to relax the planning laws to enable takeaway shop owners to convert their restaurants into homes.

This is a commendable bid to reclaim high streets from an unprecedented growth in fast-food shops.

I heartily concur that many of our high streets could definitely be vastly improved and new life breathed into them.

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However, my suggestion would be that the conversion of these shops into homes shouldn’t be left in the hands of the shop owner and should be under the control and supervision of the local council.

As such, it should then be rented out as an active component of the social housing scenario.

I do believe that the quality and standard of such future homes would be high, and therefore give value for money.

I worry that the idea of future potential profit would be the main driver of some shop owners.

The build quality of council houses in the past was to a high standard and robust specifications.

We must ensure that similar ideas should be maintained in housing.

Geraldine Costelllo,

Rothbury