Councils across the south of England are coming out in opposition to ‘unrealistic’ housing targets set by the Government, arguing too much pressure will be put on essential infrastructure, such as transport, with no clear guidance on how it will be supported.

Hampshire County Council has officially opposed the new targets in the South East Plan, which has taken the total of new houses to be built in the county to 6,685 a year – up from 6,100 in the primary draft plan.

The Government’s removal of the original statement that ‘new housing is conditional on infrastructure, such as new roads’ has been criticised by Hampshire. Ken Thornber, leader of the council, said: ‘We will continue to fight Hampshire’s corner to protect this county from over development.’

Bath and North East Somerset Council has voted to oppose proposals put forward in the latest draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS,) which sees its overall housing requirement increase from 15,500 new homes to 21,300 between 2006-2026.

The council is urging communities secretary, Hazel Blears, to reconsider. Councillor Charles Gerrish, cabinet member for customer services, said the numbers proposed by the Government are ‘completely unrealistic’ and ‘simply undeliverable in the proposed timeframe’.

A report discussed by Bristol councillors at a cabinet meeting last Thursday said the increased housing figures in the South West RSS of 36,500 new homes in Bristol by 2026 ‘represent a substantial challenge’ to the council.

Key transport changes in the new plan include the ‘deletion of much of the detail regarding specific transport proposals with the West of England’, and policies are found to ‘provide less certainty on the funding of transport and other infrastructure’.

The South East Regional Assembly drew up the original South East Plan in 2006, and is opposed to the Government increasing the housing target. Assembly chairman, Paul Carter, said: ‘We need to consider carefully the impact these proposals will have on our over-stretched infrastructure and the region’s green belt.’ The consultation period to the changes proposed closes on 24 October.