CONCERNED residents are expected to pack out a special public meeting that could help shape future development across Purbeck for the next decade-and-a-half.

Purbeck District Council (PDC) has announced the question and answer session for The Purbeck School, Wareham, as part of its ongoing consultation on the partial review of the Purbeck Local Plan - the blueprint that will eventually identify the preferred sites for more than 5,000 new homes within the district up until 2033.

In November around 350 people attended a similar meeting at the same venue, where it was agreed to extend the consultation period to include this second public meeting.

Just where to allocate new housing in Purbeck has split opinion locally. Many people have been angered that Purbeck has been directed to provide an additional 3,080 homes over the next 16 years - on top of the 2,520 already identified - to help address the current national housing shortage.

Since the partial review consultation started PDC has received around 3,300 responses highlighting a range of concerns - including worries about possible new housing at Wool, Wareham, Lytchett Minster and Lytchett Matravers.

These concerns prompted the council to sanction a range of additional studies - including looking again at housing numbers, examining environmental constraints, green belt issues and impact on local transport networks.

Cllr Peter Wharf, chairman of the Purbeck Local Plan Partial Review advisory group, said: "People made their views quite clear to us during the consultation and, as promised, we are working with parish councils, individuals and residents' groups to develop a revised plan based on solid evidence.

"This session forms part of our review process and it will enable people to get down to areas of considerable detail by putting their questions to us." Councillor Wharf has also reiterated comments he made last year about missing the approved deadline for submitting an approved up-to-date local plan by the end of 2017.

He said: "This would mean that the district would be more vulnerable to development 'by appeal' as the council would have less grounds to object to development. However, as I said before, this is a risk we must take, and it is important we do it correctly.

Anyone wishing to ask a question about the local plan review and the additional work which is currently being undertaken by the council is being urged to attend.

However, by submitting questions in advance - to localplan@purbeck-dc.gov.uk - responses can be prepared.

The meeting takes place between 5-6.30pm on Thursday, March 16.

Afterwards the council's partial review advisory group convenes at 7pm.