County rapped for resisting building (From Bournemouth Echo)

County rapped for resisting building

7:03pm Thursday 2nd October 2008 in Search By Juliette Astrup

A NATIONAL housing body has slammed councils in Dorset for their stance against proposals for new homes in the county.

The National Housing Federation, which represents 1,300 not-for-profit housing associations in England, said local authorities will not help "homeless and overcrowded families" by calling for less housing.

Councils from across Dorset have united in condemnation of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) proposals for 48,100 new homes in South East Dorset by 2026 - a considerably higher figure than that suggested in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy in 2006.

They are so determined to halt the increase they are considering pursuing a judicial review - a legal challenge to the revised RSS - on the grounds of its "lack of evidence base".

But Simon Nunn, head of south regions for the National Housing Federation (NHF), said council leaders needed to "come to terms with the housing problems".

He added: "West Dorset and North Dorset are among the most unaffordable places in the country to buy a home, according to Hometrack, and Purbeck and West Dorset are both in the top 20 locations in the country for second homes.

"There are good reasons why social house building needs to rise in these places.

"On average last year, each Dorset local authority had nearly 1,600 households on its waiting list, but built just 17 new social homes.

"Thwarting the delivery of the appropriate number of homes would mean that once the market turns around, house prices will shoot up again."

He added: "Dorset's councillors have the opportunity to make some tough but vital longer-term decisions to ensure all their constituents have the possibility of a decent home in the future. It's very important they take that opportunity."