ACRES of green belt land across the conurbation are set to be concreted over and sacrificed for housing.

That's the controversial recommendation of a major report that claims 48,100 new properties need to be built across south east Dorset between now and 2026.

The report, which has been labelled "our worst nightmare" by one Bournemouth councillor, recommends building:

  • 1,500 homes in Bournemouth's green belt, probably Throop and Holdenhurst, plus 14,600 elsewhere in the town.
  • 600 new homes in Christchurch's green belt, on top of 2,850 elsewhere in the town.
  • 6,400 homes in East Dorset, including 2,400 on hugely controversial sites at West Parley, Corfe Mullen and Wimborne.
  • 2,750 new homes on green belt land at Lytchett Minster, Lytchett Matravers and Upton, plus an additional 2,400 in the rest of Purbeck.
  • 10,000 new homes in Poole.
  • 7,000 new homes in North Dorset.

The recommendation that Bournemouth's narrow strip of green belt be released for development is a bitter blow to councillors, who fought hard to protect it.

But it will delight developers and could spark the biggest housing development in Bournemouth since the estates at Chaseside, Throop and Muscliff were created more than 20 years ago.

Cllr Ron Whittaker, who represents Throop and Muscliff, said he was "sickened" by the report and angry at the way the council's views had been "completely ignored".

"We all know we have got to provide more housing but it has to be done in a very careful way," he said.

"Instead of allowing us to do that, we have an unelected quango telling us we have to build in our precious green belt without any thought to the complete lack of infrastructure.

"If we are forced into this development, and I do mean forced, we want decent homes with small gardens and open space provision for local people. We cannot give up our green belt to build flats for people from other parts of the country who want to move down here."

Angela Pooley, co-ordinator of East Dorset Friends of the Earth, said the recommendations were "illogical".

"There are areas in Dorset that want additional housing but rather than allocating development there they are concentrating on the Bournemouth and Poole conurbation, which is already at bursting point," she said.

"Where is the logic behind that? We have very little green belt and to use it for housing is not acceptable."

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, was also angered by the report, calling it a "blow to local democracy".

She added: "It gives the green light to 2,750 houses in the western section - Lytchett Minster and Upton. They haven't given a thought to local infrastructure or the inadequate roads. They are letting development go ahead on the green belt; they have ignored really important flood plain issues. Also in my constituency the green light has been given for 700 homes in Corfe Mullen.

"Opposition was enormous from Corfe Mullen residents who wanted to protect that beautiful valley."

Cllr Peter Haward, chairman of Corfe Mullen Parish Council, said: "This is extremely disappointing news.

"Despite our efforts to represent the views of local residents at the hearing, the panel has chosen to support building on the green belt, which will have far-reaching implications for our village."

He went on: "The village does not have sufficient infrastructure or facilities to cope with additional housing on this scale, and the report neither addresses this issue nor the deficiencies in the local road network."

There was also anger among Purbeck district councillors, who saw their housing numbers more than double.

Cllr Bill Trite, leader of Purbeck District Council, said: "It is of particular concern that the villages of Lytchett Matravers and Lytchett Minster will be swamped by a major new development and that a vast majority of green belt will be lost to concrete.

"It is my view that the report does not demonstrate that the so-called western extension' is viable, as there is still much work to do on transport infrastructure and nature conservation."

The only positive news was for North Dorset, where residents welcomed development but feared they would be overlooked while homes were crammed into urban areas.

A North Dorset District Council spokesman said they were pleased to see their housing level increased: "We had previously been told we would be limited to 250 new homes each year for the next 20 years.

"This documents says we can build 350 every year for the next 20 years, equal to 7,000 new homes up to 2026. Thirty-five per cent of them would be affordable homes so generally for us this is good news."