BOURNEMOUTH council's new head of planning said he was "reluctant" to rule out green belt development in the face of a potential 'huge' increase to its housing target.

Under plans being considered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the annual requirement for new housing in the borough could almost double to 1,442.

However, the council have criticised the government’s use of older Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures rather than its more recent finding that population growth is slowing.

Current rules require the construction of at least 730 homes each year in the borough but under proposals put out for consultation this could increase to 1,442.

The new figure is based on the ONS’ 2014 population projections, despite it putting out figures in September which show that growth rates have slowed.

The council’s new head of planning, Mark Axford, described the government’s decision as “unusual” and said it would have to consider “all options” if it was required to meet the higher target.

“I think we will have to consider green belt as an option,” he said at Monday’s meeting of the council’s planning policy steering group.

“As part of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, we see a need for a strategic green belt review to see where the less valuable and more sustainable green belt is.

“I understand the reluctance to go into the green belt but I’m reluctant to rule out any options at this stage.”

The council has hit its target of building 730 new homes each year but is still below the level reached before the financial crash.

Concern has been raised in Christchurch and Poole that with the merger of the three councils next year, Bournemouth could seek to meet its housing goals by building on land outside its borough.

And a draft planning statement has been drawn up by all of the county's councils outlining their "duty to cooperate" on housing provision.

Council leader, Cllr John Beesley, echoed Mr Axford’s concerns and said that even if it increased the intensity of residential development in the town centre it would struggle to meet the target.

“Bournemouth has met its housing targets but 1,442 per annum is truly huge,” he said.

“To put it into perspective, it’s about the equivalent of an extra four Winter Gardens every year and I don’t think there’s anyone who thinks that’s doable.

“We have always had the same view preventing inappropriate development of the green belt and we will continue to take that view.

“That leaves us with two alternatives: one, focusing on suburbia – but that’s never going to be huge numbers – and two: the town centre and there’s a need to gain height in those developments.

“Three hundred thousand [the government’s annual national housing target] is a worthy target but that needs to consider local circumstances and in Bournemouth we can’t sustain that.”

He added that the council would continue to press the government to reconsider how it calculates local authorities’ housing targets.

Housing minister Kit Malthouse said: “We are clear that in order to make renting or owning a home more affordable, we must deliver more homes, and we are reforming the planning system to make sure the housing market works for everyone.

“We recently consulted on adjustments to the way housing need is calculated – to ensure it is consistent with delivering 300,000 new homes per year by the mid-2020s – and the response will be published in due course.”