REDDITCH Council has objected to a blueprint for future housing which dictates 450 new homes should be built in the town over the next 15 years as it does not believe there is enough land in the borough.

The increase is included in the county's draft Structure Plan, which was approved by the county council's executive committee last week.

It will be incorporated into the actual Structure Plan, subject to final approval from the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The county's director of environmental services and a Government-appointed panel are satisfied there is capacity within the town, including urban areas and areas of development restraint, to accommodate the level of growth required without development in the green belt.

A Redditch Council spokesman said: "The reason we are not backing this is because we feel there is insufficient space to accommodate the extra 450 dwellings, simply because Redditch is reaching capacity in terms of housing development."

A county council spokesman said: "It is not the county council which dictates the borough council must provide this additional housing, but the Government.

"We have carried out an extensive consultation and all views have been noted."