HOUSING ‘need’ figures and the way they are calculated need to be challenged according to local campaigners.

They say the figures, which are imposed by the Government, means that counties like Dorset have to accept housing developments whether or not there is a local need for them.

Dorset Council’s planning brief holder Cllr David Walsh says local people are able to contribute to a national consultation on the figures an the way they are calculated – but the council will be obliged to meet any targets set.

The current figure is based on what the Government considers to be a five year supply of land suitable for development – which Dorset is close to, but fails to meet.

When planning applications are rejected by local councillor, or officers, the county's failure to meet the housing target is often used as a ground for appeal.

In a question to this week’s Cabinet meeting resident John Calvert said he was surprised to learn that both our Dorset Council and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council are presently using outdated government housing figures in their preparation of their Local Plans.

“We need more affordable housing in Dorset but we should be looking at need not at unreliable targets. It is also particularly important for our Dorset Council to encourage a reduction not only of their own target but also to encourage challenge in the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole figures as they might want Dorset Council to take the greater part of their commitment which could lead to lot more houses being required in our Dorset Council area,” said Mr Calvert.

He asked if the Cabinet would support planning on the basis of need and challenge the government's figures.

But Cllr David Walsh said that the authority would have to stick to what it was told was the target figures, although it would be taking part in the consultations.

He said that two consultations were currently taking place – one on the methodology for working out housing numbers for each council area, and also on a Planning White Paper which proposes longer term changes which would include imposing housing targets that councils must meet.

Running alongside the changes to the national planning policies is the next Dorset Local Plan which sets out what the area sees as its needs for future development.

Said Cllr Walsh: “The next stage of the Dorset Council local plan will be a major public consultation and there will be the chance for people to give us their views on the housing numbers. However in developing the proposals, the council will need to use as its starting point the national methodology as amended by the current consultation. The council is also obliged to consider whether it can meet any unmet needs from neighbouring areas. If the White Paper proposals are implemented as currently set out, the housing number will be a binding target set by Government, with no opportunity for it to be challenged locally. There would however no longer be the requirement to consider meeting adjoining areas’ needs.”