Land owners hold the key to unlocking affordable home provision in Dorset.

Councillors have been told that without suitable sites to build on whatever help was offered for affordable schemes would be of little use.

Particular problems are said to exist finding sites in Weymouth and Portland – which only managed 11 affordable homes in the borough last year.

In Dorchester the town council has offered land it owns close to the Borough Gardens for a project of around 20 homes for local families – keeping the price down by gifting the land.

Calls are now being made for Dorset County Council to make similar gestures with land it owns – prior to being disbanded in April 2019 under local government reorganisation.

Housing enabling team leader Paul Derrien told a joint council committee in Dorchester that West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland and North Dorset had adequate money earmarked for affordable schemes, if only the sites could be found.

He said that £11m had been set aside for the area by Homes England; £1.2million remained unallocated from developer contributions known as Section106 money and there was £2million set aside from the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Portland councillor Paul Kimber said the Weymouth and Portland was one of the lowest pay areas in the country and had hundreds of young people wanting, but unable, to have their own homes – either rented, to buy, or shared equity schemes. He asked local councils to consider whatever methods they could to get land released and promote affordable home projects.

Mr Derrien said: “In Weymouth and Portland we struggle to find owners prepared to sell their land at prices which are affordable. There are large schemes at Curtis Fields and Nottington which will help, but I can’t say we will be able to satisfy demand.”

Cllr Victor Fox said many in the area found themselves wanting to get on the housing ladder, but found they were being frustrated, even for shared equity schemes, by lending rules: “You have to have a reasonably secure job and that’s often the problem. There are not many long-term, or high paid jobs, but I can see that people have to provide some form of security…there are a lot who would consider renting, but they can’t.”

Bridport Cllr David Rickard suggested pressing the county council to allow land it owns within towns and villages to be given for affordable housing projects: “They are seeking to dispose of some brownfield sites. To me, they are much better, that carbuncles on the outside of towns.”