THE need for an outer relief road to alleviate the "total bottleneck" of traffic in Christchurch has been seen as a priority after major housing plans are were revealed.

Details for more than 1,000 new homes across the borough were outlined in the council's Local Plan options document.

A significant number of the potential dwellings are earmarked for sites in and around Burton.

Members of Christchurch Borough Council's community committee stressed the need for a new road after experiencing consistent traffic headaches.

Cllr Colin Bungey said: "It is a total bottleneck and nothing has been done. We as a council for years and years have argued for improvements, and we have never had them.

"If it had been done we wouldn't be in situation we are in now.

"It is a major problem for the whole of Dorset, but particularly for Christchurch."

He also voiced fears on the volume of development planned at Burton.

""We have a major problem of destroying the ambience that is Christchurch," he said.

Simon Trueick, Christchurch and East Dorset Councils planning policy manager, said initial discussions had taken place with Dorset County Council, Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and Dorset Education Authority on the details in the plan, with no broad concerns highlighted at this stage.

Cllr Sue Spittle said there was a "strong feeling" among residents that an outer relief was one of the most important aspects of the Local Plan.

She said: "There are times I go along the B3073 and it is completely nose to tail both sides and then gets completely blocked through Bargates. There is an extremely great need for an outer relief road."

Plans for a relief road have gone quiet in recent years, after a long-running effort from Christchurch Borough Council to secure a scheme.

In late-2016, councillors continued to lobby for the new highway, but their efforts ultimately failed to materialise.

Cllr Ray Nottage said the council merger with Bournemouth and Poole next year could present opportunities to make progress on road infrastructure.

"I am wondering whether we should be stronger in our reference to the requirements of a relief road, especially in the view of the additional challenges this will put on our infrastructure," he said.

"I would make this much more of a stronger requirement, especially in view of the fact that the highlight changes which might occur as a result of Local Government Reorganisation would give us the opportunity of being more involved than we have been recently in decisions associated with our local highways and transport process."

The detailed options document identifies sites to deliver 1,026 homes, but there remains a housing shortfall of 1,769 homes against the identified housing need for Christchurch up until 2033.

As a result the council will have to consult with adjoining authorities to investigate whether potential exists in other areas to meet Christchurch’s housing needs.

Cllr Trish Jamieson said: "The one issue that does concern me is the duty to cooperate because I was at a strategic planning meeting recently and it appears everybody is going to have a duty to cooperate. We're all going to cooperate with each other because no one has got the room for housing."