HISTORY may hold the ideal solution to a very up-to-date problem.

Growing up in the 1950s I visited a couple of relatives who lived in prefabricated homes, or prefabs as they were known.

One aunt lived on The Slade and an uncle lived in Barton.

My memory of these prefabs is a bit hazy but I recall the places were like bungalows that were built to house people until proper council houses could be found.

On my visits, the homes always seemed warm and inviting.

As with all our family visits, the stops were short and infrequent so I have no idea what the places were like to live in full-time.

Reading the Oxford Mail on March 19, I was shocked to learn that the city council was so far behind with the social housing.

According to the report, 1,757 new homes have to be built every year to cope with demand, but due to budget and building restrictions only 210 were built last year.

Is it not time for us to return to prefabs?

They can be built quicker and cheaper than brick houses, planning permission should be easier as these would only be temporary. And a lot of desperate people would have a roof over their heads.

Perhaps other readers have had personal experiences of living in these places and could let the rest of us and the city council know if this is a workable solution to an ever-increasing problem?

RICHARD WHITING Upper Road Kennington