A CALL has been made for more relaxed planning laws to increase the number of affordable homes on Portland.

Mayor of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council Les Ames made the plea following remarks by the island's town mayor Tim Woodcock.

On Wednesday Coun Woodcock warned that the borough should be careful to avoid overdevelopment of Portland - even if it involved affordable homes.

But Coun Ames said today: "There's a desperate need for affordable homes on Portland. We're losing young people and they are our future.

"This may mean re-looking at the development boundary, and changing it so that more land becomes available at a reasonable price. This could be used to instigate affordable housing to buy."

Coun Ames said that there were few sites on Portland currently suitable for affordable housing within the current development boundary.

Earlier this week Coun Woodcock raised fears of overdevelopment.

He was commenting on proposals relating to a £100 million 554-home project at former Naval accommodation blocks.

Developers Comer Homes revealed they might build an obligatory affordable homes quota as part of the development on a separate island site.

Company spokesman Marcus Armstrong said: "It's one of the possibilities we are looking at but there will be a percentage of affordable homes within whatever we do."

But Coun Woodcock said: "I've no problem with them building affordable homes somewhere else instead. I'm happy as long as the affordable housing is designated for residential development.

"But what I do not want is Portland becoming overdeveloped and all the open space being filled with housing."

Plans for the Hardy blocks include 363 two-bedroom luxury flats within the wardroom and senior ratings mess and 191 three and four-bedroom homes in nearby grounds.

Under an agreement with the borough council Comer would build about 30 affordable homes on site.

Planning manager Simon Williams added: "Comer would also make a £2 million phased contribution payable to the council as the site develops to help provide affordable housing at other locations within the borough.

"This affordable housing would be achieved in a manner and in numbers to be agreed with housing associations."