CAMPAIGNERS fighting proposals for thousands of new homes in Purbeck have called for evidence to support the need for "a near doubling of the current house-building rate."

Purbeck District Council (PDC) will soon launch five public forums, as part of its continuing consultation on the partial review of its Purbeck Local Plan.

This plan, essentially a blueprint setting out the sites for preferred housing in the district until 2033, has proved a controversial issue.

National planning guidelines, established in a bid to address the current nationwide housing shortage, call for Purbeck to build an additional 3,080 homes over the next 16 years - on top of the 2,520 already identified.

However, the Pan Purbeck Action Campaign (PPAC) group believes these numbers just don't add up.

A PPAC spokesman said: "We have asked the council for the evidence supporting a near doubling of the current house-building rate which is driven primarily by the council's optimistic economic forecasts.

"Economic forecasts are unreliable at best, and houses cannot be unbuilt if jobs do not materialise.

"Government projections of the housing needs of Purbeck's population, including historic levels of immigration, are met by the current build-rate. To double that rate would require a massive jump in inward migration.

"Unemployment is low in Purbeck, so additional jobs, if they actually arise, require workers from outside the district."

The district council's last consultation exercise on the partial review attracted 3,300 comments, highlighting a range of concerns - including worries about possible new housing at Wool, Wareham, Lytchett Minster and Lytchett Matravers.

In response to the latest calls, PDC chief executive Steve Mackenzie explained that the council had recently held a question and answer session at The Purbeck School.

He added: "We are also in the process of setting up five public forums around the district to enable local people, including residents, businesses, town and parish councils, registered housing providers and developers to discuss the local plan and play their part in shaping it.

"We will respond to all questions raised during these forums.

"Due to election rules, the forums will take place after the general election."