AUTHORITIES across Hampshire need to build thousands of new homes in the next four years to meet a massive shortfall, a report has claimed.

The report by planning consultants Turley Associates says there is a shortfall of 12,468 homes which need to be built in Hampshire to meet demand.

It is part of a south east-wide study on housing needs carried out by the firm, which shows that with 208,000 new homes needed in the region between 2012 and 2017 there is a shortfall of 44,394 homes Hampshire is second only to West Sussex, which the report claims has a deficit of 12,510 homes, in the list of the region’s eight counties.

The report has been compiled from information provided by councils across the region, using their five year demand and targets for housing from 2013 to 2017.

Turley Associates’ report shows Winchester City Council as the authority with the biggest shortfall in Hampshire.

The council is shown as having a shortfall of 1,227 homes that need to be built in the next four years to meet demand.

That figure is 1,090 in Fareham, 883 in Test Valley and 752 in Eastleigh.

A spokesman for Winchester City Council said the authority believes it will meet its demand for houses over the next five years, and that the authority’s housing plan for 2011-2031 featured a number of large developments, including sites at Barton Farm, West of Waterlooville and Whiteley.

They added that they disputed Turley Associates’ methodology and believe they are in fact one of the best performing authorities in Hampshire.

City council Cabinet member for housing Tony Coates, said: “The plan we have got until 2031 meets the needs of this district, and there is no need to provide additional homes.

“I think the situation is that the economy is improving, house building is increasing and we will see over the next five to ten years that there will be a catch-up in Winchester district that will deliver housing.”

Ryan Johnson, director and member of Turley’s residential development sector team, said: “The need for housing in the south east remains high. “Home ownership is increasingly becoming beyond the reach of many lower-income households, which will undoubtedly impact on the ability of existing and future generations to live and work in the areas they were born. The impact of this on the pace of economic recovery across the region will no doubt continue to be keenly debated.”

Hampshire councils’ housing shortfalls and surpluses

Council: Shortfall/surplus of homes required between 2013-2017 (-/+)

Eastleigh: -752

Fareham: -1,090

Gosport: 820

New Forest: 517

Test Valley: -883

Winchester: -1,227

Southampton: 290

Isle of Wight: 1,143