Lawrence Alkin suggests, by opposing the building of 300 units of "affordable housing", Valerie Paynter is denying others the "same opportunity" of living in "high-quality, affordable homes" which she enjoys as a council tenant (Letters, December 2).

But will the 300 flats being built be available to rent at £55 per week, with a secure tenancy and a separate kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedrooms?

No. They will have shared kitchen/dining/living areas, assured tenancies - probably at significantly higher rents - and the "opportunity" to part-rent, part-buy.

My daughter, a full-time primary-school teacher, looked into a part-rent, part-buy scheme but her income was insufficient to go ahead.

Meanwhile, housing associations are acquiring and demolishing council homes to make way for these sort of developments.

This often results in homes being privately sold and a net loss of homes available for rent.

Hardly progressive, is it?

-Ruth Arundell, Brighton