affordable homes from a Government quango called the Homes and Communities Agency. Mr Negus said they understood that developers worked to tight profit margins, especially in these days of recession. But he said a balance must be drawn between allowing any development to go through without controls and imposing so many restrictions that nothing gets built at all. He said: "We have a responsibility to make sure that quality is maintained and that new schemes are sustainable -- that doesn't mean they have to be bristling with solar panels and so on, it means that new development helps to create an environment where people want to live, work and play in safe and comfortable surroundings." "Highest GDP per head outside London. I keep hearing that but the city's wages aren't that high? Why is it that 25% of Bristol households are then getting housing benefit unless it's very low wages? For people earning high GDP per head (I expect by commuting to London) then they will have big houses, cable TV, supermarket deliveries and cars. Let's face it, these people will NEVER get on a bus. Is that why BCC is anti-car?" "S106 agreements are used to ensure that the off site impacts of developments are mitigated. Specifically on this issue, how can people criticise the refusal to grant planning permission for the gneral hospital development as a bad business decision. The Council is supposed to be running public services in the most efficent manner, e.g. like a private business,