Wiltshire is building more houses than needed, official figures reveal.

Countryside charity CPRE is preparing to submit evidence to show the number of houses proposed under the Wiltshire Local Plan is a serious over-estimation.

According to analysis of the Housing Delivery Test (2020) by the Wiltshire branch of the charity, the county has delivered 140 per cent of its target.

It says that between 2017/18 and 2019/20 Wiltshire built 40 per cent more houses than was required of it.

During this period, the report says Wiltshire was required to built of 5,506 new homes but constructed 7,720.

CPRE Wiltshire chairwoman Anne Henshaw says, “The latest government figures vindicate what we have been saying for years – we have been building too many new homes here in Wiltshire, the majority of them on greenfield land, and there is no evidence that this number of homes is needed.

“Looking ahead, we have commissioned a report on Wiltshire Council’s housing requirement figures for the plan period 2016 - 2036, currently under public consultation.

“This report will be submitted with our full consultation responses.

“On the strength of this study, we believe there is compelling evidence for the overall reduction of housing allocations across Wiltshire.”

Cabinet member for spatial planning, Toby Sturgis said: “Wiltshire has housing targets to meet and the government’s measure of meeting housing requirements is the Housing Delivery Test.

"Performance varies from year to year, but over the last three years we have exceeded the average required. It is important that we continue to meet the government’s targets as failure to meet them has consequences according to government rules that are set out in national planning policy, that might result in greater freedoms for house building in the county.

“The consultation we are currently undertaking is looking ahead to 2036 and is based upon evidence of housing need over the next local plan period based on a standard method given to all councils by government.

"The government expects all local planning authorities to maintain an up-to-date local plan based upon evidence.

"In this consultation we are asking the community of Wiltshire to review the evidence we have prepared and to comment on the overall housing requirement and proposed distribution.

"This will no doubt result in a variety of views including those suggesting lower and higher numbers of new homes.

"The comments will help shape the draft local plan which is scheduled for publication later this year.”