LANCASTER could be forced to find space for more than 3,000 new houses over 10 years under plans drawn up by Lancashire County Council.

The plans have infuriated Green campaigners who accuse the Labour controlled council of ignoring the public and regional planning guidance.

The county has proposed that 305 new homes should be built in the Lancaster district each year between 2006 and 2016.

That compares to just 145 per year in Preston and 75 annually in Burnley.

The proposal is to be discussed as part of the county's new structure

Coun Cllr Jonathan Sear said: "Local people are constantly having housing developments forced on them in locations that are really not suitable.

"This applies both to countryside which should be protected, and some brownfield sites which would be better given over to open space or community facilities.

"The priority needs to be improving homes and their surroundings in areas of low demand, to make them attractive places to live, and also ensuring that those new homes which are built address people's needs, such as low cost rented housing for single people."

"This new plan is supposedly the result of a public consulatation on the challenges and choices facing Lancashire.

But consulation is meaningless unless the Council modifies its plans in response to peoples views.

"The Council should use the option favoured by over half the respondents as the starting point for the next consultation on the replacement Structure Plan this summer.

"Otherwise the public will become even more sceptical of the County Council's public consultations."

A public inquiry is already under way into the controversial Whinney Carr scheme on the southern edge of Lancaster.

This new estatewould see more than 500 new homes built in agreenfield area.