MORE than 43,000 new homes are set to be built across south east Dorset in the next 20 years, with almost half earmarked for Bournemouth.

The projected figures have already sparked fears of town cramming, infrastructure overload and the loss of precious green belt land.

And it could get even worse - the final figure will be decided by the Regional Assembly, which has already suggested intensifying development to create up to 51,700 new properties.

Under government pressure to create new homes, particularly affordable ones, council officers from Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth have been formulating a blueprint for expansion by 2026.

Their suggestions would see Bournemouth take the brunt of new development - a massive 21,400 properties - while the rest of the houses and flats would be built in Poole, East Dorset, Christchurch and Purbeck.

Councillors from all three councils will meet on Friday to discuss the proposals and it's expected they will insist no houses are built on green belt land.

But they could still be overruled by the Regional Assembly in Taunton, which will have the final say on how many homes south east Dorset can accommodate and where they should be.

Terry Stewart, vice-chairman of Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England, called the idea of building 43,000 homes in south east Dorset "absolutely ludicrous."

"Where on earth will these houses go?" he said.

"The amount of houses being demolished and replaced with blocks of flats is already becoming a major political issue and a major irritant.

"We're worried stiff about these urban extensions.

"It really isn't practically possible to achieve the total number of houses that the Regional Assembly wants us to.

"I would like to see councils being realistic and fighting the undemocratic regional government."

Phil Robinson, Bournemouth's planning policy, conservation and design manager, admitted the Regional Assembly was "very keen" to increase house-building rates.

"But we feel that the figures that we're putting forward are the most sensible," he said.

"As officers, we feel that this is the amount of development we can accommodate."

Under the officers' recommendations, green belt land in the north of Bournemouth, possibly around Throop or Holdenhurst, would be earmarked for development, along with greenfield sites in East Dorset and Christchurch.

But in Bournemouth, there is cross-party agreement that the borough's green belt must be left alone.

Cllr Ron Whittaker, who represents Throop and Muscliff, said: "We know the pressures on affordable housing but we've also got to think about quality of life.

"People want homes but let's build homes that have quality of life and open spaces around them."

Where the new houses are to go

Bournemouth - 21,400 new properties, approximately 1,400 on green belt land in the north of the borough

Poole - 11,000 homes, all on brownfield sites

East Dorset - 6,300 homes, approximately one third on green belt land

Christchurch - 3,800 homes on a mix of brownfield and greenfield sites

Purbeck - 600 properties on brownfield sites

Total - 43,100 new houses and flats

First published: May 24