THOUSANDS of homes could eventually be built in Dorset as the government continues to push councils into helping it reach its growth target – which could mean some villages and towns could vastly expand under proposals.

Dorset Council’s Local Plan is in the process of being finalised and the draft proposals are now available for people to comment on.

The plan will help Dorset meet its development needs over the next 15 to 20 years and will be used to inform planning decisions.

It covers development, including housing, employment, Gypsy and traveller sites and renewable energy. A Local Transport Plan will also look at how to make travel across the county safer, cleaner and more reliable.

But the most controversial issue of the Local Plan is the housing allocation.

Roughly 41,000 proposed new houses in the county are included in the plan.

This comes after Deputy Prime Minister and secretary of state for housing, Angela Rayner said she is committed to building 1.5 million new homes in the next five years.

Campaigners have described the proposed housing allocation for the county as “unrealistic” due to the large areas of protected landscapes.

Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said the housing figure for Dorset – some 3,300 extra homes a year – is nearly twice the average annual completion rate.

READ MORE: Consultation launched to help decide where thousands of homes should go in Dorset

READ MORE: Plans for “too bright” digital display at Co-op in Wareham refused

They said a more realistic completion rate would be 1,800 per year and suggested the council should not blindly follow the government’s calculation.

Councillor Shane Bartlett, cabinet member for planning and emergency planning, said this marks a “big moment” for Dorset.

“We have tough housing targets to meet that the government has set, but I’m also mindful that we’re planning for real lives, not just numbers on a page,” he said.

The consultation is open from August 18 to October 13 and can be accessed by clicking here.

All comments must be received by the end of October 13. The online consultation is available at the Dorset Council Local Plan webpage – www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dorset-is-changing.

The consultation documents are also available to view in hard copy in the reception of County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ, as well as local libraries.

Drop-in events will take place across the county in the coming months, with opportunities to find out more about the proposals. A list of drop-in events can be found by clicking here.

Where have houses been proposed?

Beaminster, 460 houses: 360 at Tunnel Road and 100 at Cherry Cottage Farm.

Bere Regis, 196 houses: 38 at land bounded by Snow Hill Lane and 158 at land south of Bere Regis

Bishop Caundle, 301 houses: 141 at land east of Holt Lane, 38 at land east of Stony Lane, 42 at land north of Brown Street, 80 on land east of Giles Street

Blandford Forum and Blandford St Mary, 1,000 houses: 800 at land north of Wimborne Road and 200 at Hammetts Farm.

Bourton, 125 houses: At land between West Bourton Road, Brickyard Lane and the A303.

Bridport, 2,252: 46 at land adjoining Dottery Road, 176 at land north west of Seymour Farm Cottage, 150 on land off Dottery Road, 37 at Wych Farm (north), 60 at Wych Farm (south), 218 at land adjoining Lower Walditch Lane, 42 at land adjoining Happy Island Way, 200 at land north of Gore Lane, 87 at land off St Andrews Road (site one), 285 at land off St Andrews Road (site two), 75 at land at Wits End, Lee Lane, 168 at West Bay Caravan Site, 100 at Crepe Farm, 39 at land and buildings at Vearse Farm, 372 at land south of A35 Higher Eype, 100 at land off Broad Lane, and 95 at land at Broomhills (sites three and four).

Broadmayne and West Knighton, 1,065 houses: 70 at land at 3 South Drove, 105 at land between Osmington Drove and Friarmayne Farm, 85 at land south west of the recreation ground, 90 at land off Knighton Lane, 260 at land to the west of Knighton Lane, 490 at land to the west of Knighton Lane, and 70 at land west of Highgate Lane, Land North of Yoah Cottage.

Broadwindsor, 89 houses: At land adjoining Folly Cottage.

Burton Bradstock, 119 houses: 47 at land off Common Lane and 72 north of northover close and The Barn.

Charlton Down, 220 houses: 60 at land at Herrison (parcel B), 90 at Forston Clinic and 70 at land at Herrison (parcel A)

Charminster, 560 houses: 200 at land west of Charmisnter, 140 at land at Wanchard Lane (Phase 5), 140 at Ellerslie Close, 50 at Dorchester Vineyard and 30 at Charminster Depot.

Charmouth, 152 houses: 152 at land adjacent to A35 (south).

Chickerell, 1,172 houses: 165 at land at Chickerell, 335 at North Bank Farm, 30 at Former Training Camp, 325 at land west of Southill, 48 at land at Mandeville Road (combined), 47 at land east of Putton Lane, 176 at Wessex Golf Centre and 46 at land off Putton Lane.

Child Okeford, 105 houses: 105 at land on the north and south of Hayward Lane.

Corfe Mullen, 736 houses: 72 at Coventry Lodge and West of Pardy’s Hill, 25 at Hillview and Moonfleet, 67 at Lake Farm, 30-bed care facility at land at Blandford Road, 210 at land east of Haywards Lane, 138 at land west of Haywards Lane, 170 at part of Candys Farm, 24 at land east of Pine Road.

Cranborne, 87 houses: 21 at Grugs Lane, 29 at the recreation ground, and 37 at land north of Hibberds Field.

Crossways, 4,697 houses: 150 homes at land west of Crossways (currently subject to a planning application), 400 at Woodsford Fields, 40 at land adjacent to Deer Leap House, 107 at land west of Station Road, and 4,000 at Upper Woodsfords.

Dorchester, 495 houses: 120 south of Castle Park, 95 at Damers School Site Trust HQ and West Annex, Dorset County Hospital (currently subject to a planning application), 30 at Wessex Water Site, and 250 south-west of Dorchester within bypass,

Ferndown and West Parley, 2,016 houses: 208 south west of Longham roundabout, 60 at land opposite former Dudsbury Golf Course, 325 north west of Longham roundabouts, 637 south east of Longham roundabouts, 498 at land to north and south of Ham Lane, Colehill, 168 at land between Award Road and Stapehill Road, 77 at land south of Canford Bottom Junction, and 43 at Misty Meadows.

Fontmell Magna, 105 houses: 105 at land south of West Street and west of Old Crown Road.

Gillingham, 1,180 houses: 800 at land north of Wavering Lane, 100 at land east of Madjeston Farm and 280 at Park Farm (east).

Hazelbury Bryan, 298 houses: 30 at land south of Churchfoot Lane, 100 at land east of the Causeway, Pidney, 116 at The Ferns, Kingston, and 52 at land north of Churchfoot Lane.

Lyme Regis, 228 houses: 48 at land west of Woodberry Down, 72 at Timber Vale Caravan Park, and 108 at Strawberry Fields, Charmouth Road.

Lytchett Matravers, 472 houses: 41 at land south of Middle Road, 69 south of Deans Drove, 36 at Dyetts Field, 39 west of Wareham Road, 35 at land at Blaneys Corner, 48 at land east of Foxhills Road, 54 at Castle Farm Road, and 150 north of Halls Road and Land south of LMAT 13 (inc lmat/026).

Lytchett Minster and Upton, 5,446 houses: 2,718 at Bere Farm, Bulbury Woods Golf Club land at Lytchett Minster & Bere Farm (parcel one and two), care home at Frenches Farm, 1,720 at Hill Farm and Land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel three), 96 at Post Green Farm, 144 at land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel four), 250 at land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel five), 140 at land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel six), 79 at land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel seven), 192 at land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel eight and nine), 30 at land at Lytchett Minster and Bere Farm (parcel 10), and 77 at land east of New Rd – LM1 greenbelt review.

Maiden Newton, 46 houses: 46 at land betwixt former Railway and Chilfrome Lane.

Marnhull, 698 houses: 250 at land at Church Farm, 73 at land south of Mill Lane, 300 (plus potential new gypsy and traveller site) at land east of Salisbury Street and 75 at land between Love Lane and Nash Lane, north of the recreation ground.

Milborne St Andrew, 342 houses: 41 at land west of Milton Road Close, 97 at land south of Blandford Hill, 82 at land north of Blandford Hill, 34 at land south of A354 (currently subject to a planning application), 58 at land west of Bladen View and 30 at farm buildings and Land at Manor Farm.

Milton Abbas, 60 houses: 60 at land at Catherines Well.

Mosterton, 59 houses: 21 at land adjoining the Bushels and 38 at Whites Meadow.

Motcombe, 464 houses: 40 at land at Elm Hill, 100 at land at Church Road, 284 at Frog Lane Farm and 40 at land north of Ryal’s Plantation.

Okeford Fitzpaine, 177 houses: 52 at land east of Castle Lane, 55 at land at Pleydells Farm and 70 at land West of Castle Lane, north of Comerwicke.

Portland, 89 houses: 51 at Portland Hospital and 38 south of Southwell.

Puddletown, 258 houses: 100 at Athelhampton Road (adjoining Chapel Ground), 102 at land off Athelhampton Road (Rod Hill Lane) and 56 at The Coombe.

Shaftesbury, 735 houses: 300 at land at Cannfield Farm, 43 at land between Higher Wincombe Farm and Wildflower Lane, 90 at Wessex Saleground, north of Salisbury Road, 90 at land south of Mampitts Lane and 82 at land north of Mampitts Lane, 130 at land south of Wincombe Lane (part existing local plan allocation).

Sherborne, 2,652 houses: 1,157 at Barton Farm Extension, 240 at land north of Bradford Road, 540 at land south of Bradford Road, 632 at land south of Lenthay Road, 53 at Yeatman Hospital and Newell House and 30 at Aldhelmstead East School.

Shillingstone, 175 houses: 53 at land east of Shillingstone, north of Holloway Lane, 61 at land east of Shillingstone, north of Blandford Road and south of Holloway Lane and 61 at land east of Shillingstone, south of A357.

Sixpenny Handley, 107 houses: 74 at land along Back Lane and 33 at land off Common Road.

Stalbridge, 442 houses: 100 at land south of Station Road, 37 at land west of Waterlake and 305 at land east of Stalbridge Nature Reserve.

Sturminster Marshall, 2,061 houses: 225 at land at Station Road, 235 at land Adjacent to the A350, 1,000 at land at Sturminster Marshall, 36 at Springfield Farm, 522 at land west of A350 land west of A350 and 43 at land east of Poole Rd.

Sturminster Newton, 250 houses: 190 at land west of Glue Hill and 60 north of Manston Road

Swanage, 417 houses: 168 at land north and west of Prospect Allotments, 42 at land north of High Street, 38 at land to the west of Cauldron Barn Park, 50 at Purbeck View School, 45 at Harrow House and 74 at Swanage Farm – land north of Washpond Lane and west of Darkie Lane.

Thornford, 179 houses: 105 at land at Longford Road and 74 at land at Pound Road.

Verwood, 1,436 houses: 984, Crane Valley Golf Club, 139 north of Edmondsham Road, 195 at land West of Manor Road and 118 at land to the west of Albany Drive.

Wareham, 619 houses: 142 at land at Little Farm, 57 at field west of railway line at Worgret, 300 at Worgret Manor Farm and 120 at land West of Westminster Road Industrial Estate.

West Moors, 148 houses: 100 at land north of Azalea roundabout and 48 at land Adjacent to West Moors Road.

Weymouth, 2,397 houses: 63 at 8 Acre Field Icen Lane, 105 at land north of Icen Lane (site one), 41 at land north of Icen Lane (site two), 57 at The Willows, 71 at Land South of Beverley Road (East), 44 at Westhaven Hospital, 50 at land East of Deutzia Cottage, 554 at Wyke Oliver Farm (North), 225 at Wyke Oliver Farm (South), 40 at land at Mountbatten Close, 150 at land at Redlands Farm, 100 at land at Lanehouse Rock Road, 120 at land at Weymouth Golf Course, 55 West of Dorchester Road (one), 361 at land south of Preston Road and 316 at land north of Bowleaze Coveway.

Wimborne Minster and Colehill, 3,373 houses: 60 at Cottage Farm, 220 at Canford Bottom & Udden’s (east), 609 at land adjacent to Pilford Heath Road, 75 at land at Canford Bottom, 83 at land at Colehill, 266 south of Colehill Lane, 31 at land at Northleigh Lane (south), 113 at land at Northleigh Lane (north), 124 at land North of Wimborne Road, 306 at land off Willow Drive, 120 at land south of Leigh Road, 82 at Walford Farm & Longhow (west), 118 at land south west of Smugglers Lane, 163 at Walford Farm and Longhow (east), Horns Inn, Burts Hill, 40 at East Dorset Council Offices, 44 at 92-120A Wimborne Road West, 157 at land to the west of Cranborne Road, 410 at land at Leigh Road, 151 at Jades Farm, 44 at land adjacent to eastern entrance of Stone Park, 131 at Leigh Farm (site one), 40 at Northleigh Lane and 30 at Leigh Farm (site two).

Winterborne St Martin (Martinstown), 40 houses: 40 north of Park Farm.

Winterbourne Abbas, 50 houses: 50 north west of Winterbourne Abbas

Wool, 766 houses: 51 at Brayton Plot, 186 at land at Wool 4, 98 at land at Wool 5. Pug Pit, 89 at Seven Stars Inn, 248 at land at Wool 2 – East of Burton Road, 43 at Chalk Pitt and 140 at land west of Burton Cross roundabout.

Yetminster, 200 houses: 85 at land east of Thornford Road, 60 at land North of Chapel Meadow and 55 at land west of Melbury Road.