All families need to have their own home, at reasonable cost

Ben Lowry (‘The last Northern Ireland housing boom was disaster, and we need to beware a repeat of it,’ July 31, see link below) worries about house prices rising to far, and he respects the need for a home for all.

The old saying ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ is a reflection of the shelter we all need.

My late father was an urban district councillor and he was pleased to see the council build many acres of housing for families.

It was sad to see such provision used as a political weapon during the ‘civil rights campaign’.

Society has moved on, as Ben Lowry shows, to international trends such as large financial institutions influencing our economy.

I think the old debate of capitalism v socialism may be interesting in books and political rhetoric but families need surety and the protection of a base of their own. be it government or privately provided, at reasonable cost.

How will history describe us when it looks back at our handling of such matters?

David Barbour, Retired UUP councillor, Coleraine

Ben Lowry: The last Northern Ireland housing boom was disaster

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