HOUSING targets in Dorset should be lowered – not increased, according to the county branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

With the new Labour government promising to make it easier to build new homes the CPRE plea takes an opposite stance.

CPRE say far too many homes have already been given permission in the county, but are not being built and too many 'affordable' homes are not affordable at all.

The current target figure for new homes in Dorset is 1,900 a year – but CPRE say 1,300 would be more realistic to meet local needs.

A CPRE spokesperson said: "Communities need homes that people can afford to live in, particularly social rented housing. The current housing target of 1900 homes per annum is far higher than Dorset's shrinking local population needs, yet the affordable homes that are desperately needed are not being built. 

"As permission has been granted for 13,000 unbuilt homes, Dorset CPRE believe that a lower target of 1,300 homes per annum would suffice to meet Dorset's demand for housing, a significant proportion of which should be allocated for social rented homes: the number suggested by Dorset CPRE is 577 each year. "

The campaign group has recently held a conference 'Dorset's Affordable Housing Crisis' which was attended by local councillors and housing campaigners as well as officials responsible for delivering housing strategy.

"The conference was instigated by Dorset CPRE's strong belief that housing delivered in Dorset should be focussed on meeting the county's true needs," said the group spokesperson.

Lord Richard Best, Crossbench Peer and Social Housing Leader, chaired the conference following an introduction by Dorset CPRE President, Kate Adie.

Speakers highlighted the inability of the former Government's policy to deliver housing targeted at meeting the nation's need for truly affordable housing.

"Instead policy is focussed on building large numbers of market homes of which only a small proportion are designated as 'affordable housing.' Often these homes are not 'affordable' for the families that need them."

The conference heard that in the Dorset Council area homeless figures have increased from under 3500 in 2021/22 to over 4,000 in 2023/24. Currently there are 500 new applicants each month for housing, the greatest requirement being for 1 and 2 bedroom homes, with smaller numbers applying for family sized accommodation.

Jez Hughes, vice-chair of Dorset CPRE said: "We will be calling on our newly elected Members of Parliament to be advocating a focus on more affordable housing in a way that genuinely supports local young people in rural communities and protects and enhances the environment they live in."