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The thought of constructing the majority of the houses in the UK by using a pattern book, even allowing for a range of topographical conditions, is superficially enticing but, I am sure, would be totally depressing in practice.

The prospect of planning and building control officers insisting that the merits of a particular pattern book design be maintained despite the owner’s wish to reflect the local vernacular or introduce plan changes is horrifying. We have too much control and interference already.

Why not do as Abley says and literally collapse building and planning approvals? Domestic buildings do not need expensive, time-consuming planning applications and overzealous building regulations. How did our great medieval, Georgian and Victorian cities and towns get built? Largely without any centralised planning.

The way to build more houses, reduce waste and carbon dioxide generation, is to use second hand and reject materials, incorporate coppiced timber from our own woodlands and plantations and perhaps incorporate whatever we wish in some of the internal walls. ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø regulations for dwellings up to three storeys could be replaced by a simple certificate confirming that it will not fall down or burn down before the occupants have an opportunity to get out and that energy consumption is not excessive.

Local authorities could allow development wherever they wished up to a maximum of say one house every 10 acres in open countryside (or none at all if they wished) and restrict national type approvals to the big builders.

Houses built outside major cities and towns could be excluded from national approvals to ensure that local skills and design peculiarities are recreated to maintain the uniqueness of our landscape.

Some of the worst housing estates, ugliest towns, cities and blots on the landscape have been dumped on us by local authorities. Yes, let’s collapse the system but not by introducing further restrictions dressed up as progress.

Grahame Wiggin MCIOB