THOUSANDS of extra homes must be built in Poundbury, Bridport and Weymouth if Dorset is to avoid a housing crisis, experts have warned.

A meeting to discuss where to build almost 14,000 new homes was told rural areas as well as urban ones would have to be built on if local people were to have enough affordable homes to live in.

And there was a warning to Poundbury landowners the Duchy of Cornwall not to stand in the way of development by delaying the release of land for housing.

Representatives from local councils, the regional assembly, environmental groups and developers met in Exeter to discuss development plans for the county until 2026.

The draft plan says 8,200 homes should be built in West Dorset and 5,600 in Weymouth and Portland. Most of the development in West Dorset is earmarked for Poundbury.

Rob Duff, director of Pegasus planning group, which represents major house builders, said the figures did not go far enough.

"We propose a figure of 19,500. If we don't the house prices will continue to go up and the young people will continue to move out."

Maxine Bodell, group manager of spatial planning at Dorset County Council, said the council had doubts that 200 houses a year could be built at Poundbury and Dorchester.

"We have spoken to the Duchy and they are wedded to their current development programme.

"We have looked at the north of Dorchester but can't build there because of the water levels. We have considerable fears that the Dorchester figures will not be deliverable."

But Hilary Jordan, of West Dorset District Council, said she was confident the target could be met.

"We support what's in the draft plan. We have an allocation for building in Bridport but there are significant constraints there with the AONB which means we will need exceptional circumstances to build in those areas."

She added: "There is potential for further growth at Chickerell and employment would be our first choice."

Karyn Punchard, the principal planning officer for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said the authority agreed with recommendations to build 280 homes in the borough over the next 15 to 20 years.