NEW homes will have to be built on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Dorset for recommended Government targets to be met, say campaigners.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is lobbying MPs to prioritise urban regeneration and reduce the number of new homes planned for the region.

Chairman of CPRE Dorset, Howard Thomas is opposed to recommended increases of 13,000 new homes in Weymouth and Dorchester and 5,000 in West Dorset.

He said: "The small market town of Dorchester and the pleasant holiday resort of Weymouth are being turned into an urban nightmare with the planned increases.

"This level of new build simply cannot be accommodated without encroaching on the area of outstanding natural beauty which we must fight to protect. If we don't make ourselves heard now it will be too late."

The CPRE argues that there is not enough brownfield land - land which has already been developed - available to meet the 28,000 homes currently recommended. The group is campaigning for support from the public to join them in their efforts to pressurise the government before it finalises its Regional Spatial Strategy.

The charity has also commissioned research which argues there is no evidence that increased building will result in price reductions but could cause environmental damage.

MP for South Dorset Jim Knight believes the countryside will not need to be compromised.

He said: "It's important that we protect our precious environment and our quality of life in Dorset.

"I think it's possible to do that and respect areas of outstanding natural beauty and proceed with building.

"That is vital if we are to build the affordable housing that our communities need to allow families to live in the area and make sure that schools and other facilities remain open."

CPRE is also concerned that under 25 per cent of new homes provided in the South West are affordable.

Weymouth and Portland housing spokesman Councillor Mike Goodman said the area had the highest percentage of affordable housing in Dorset.

He said: "You either say no to new homes and watch house prices go up and drive young people away or you do your best to try and accommodate them. Another option is to get people's income out of the bracket of the affordable housing market and we're working hard to attract the interest of major companies."