THE number of houses to be built in Yate and Chipping Sodbury has been reduced to 3,000, Government ministers announced today.

Secretary of State for Housing Hazel Blears rejected plans to build 5,000 homes to the north of the two towns but said extra houses would have to be placed in other parts of the district.

Her announcement has sparked anger among residents and local councillors, who have been campaigning hard against homes being built on undeveloped land off St John’s Way in Chipping Sodbury.

Cllr Ruth Davis (Lib Dem, Yate Central) said: "I am horrified that the minister has ignored the huge outcry from the public against the proposed housing within South Gloucestershire.

"Our worst fears have been founded with the figure going up even further.

"Whilst it appears the number for Yate is reduced to 3,000 additional houses, this means 4,000 more houses for the rest of South Gloucestershire.

"Being swamped with a flood of new properties was not what Yate residents wanted but they certainly wouldn’t have wished 4,000 upon their neighbours in the rest of South Gloucestershire."

The number of homes to be built to the east of Kingswood and in Staple Hill, Patchway and Stoke Gifford has been increased.

The decision means the number of homes to be built in South Gloucestershire by 2026 now stands at 32,800 – an increase of 2,000 from a recommendation in the Regional Spatial Strategy and a huge rise in the 23,500 homes suggested by South Gloucestershire Council.

It means houses will be erected in the region at a rate of 1,640 per year to meet the target.

Northavon MP Steve Webb said 3,000 homes in Yate and Sodbury was still "vastly too many".

He added: "To further increase the target to nearly 33,000 is simply madness. The Government doesn't seem to have noticed what is happening in the housing market.

"These are simply fantasy figures and bear no relation to what is needed or what is possible."

A 12-week public consultation period has now been launched but councillors warned they will appeal to residents to write to the Government when they had fully examined Ms Blears’ report.