STRATFORD district’s core strategy, which determines how many houses should be built across the district until 2013, has moved one step closer to being finalised after a council cabinet meeting this month.

The current draft strategy is still subject to the outcome of a consultation exercise, but councillors have provisionally estimated the need for 10,800 new houses to be built until 2031, which averages at 540 homes each year.

The strategy proposes that Alcester take on 300 homes, a figure which was agreed by the council last July before the planning application was received from Bloor Homes for the 350 homes on land around Allimore Lane in the town.

If agreed the 300 recommended would be unlikely to have any impact on the decision currently being made by the Planning Inspectorate over the appeal by Bloor Homes.

However it would make it less likely for the town to have to take on any further housing developments of a similar scale before 2031.

Councillor Chris Saint, leader of Stratford District Council, said: “I am publishing these figures to clarify the position regarding the housing requirement in our emerging core strategy. Given the evidence based projection of 10,800 new homes for the period 2011-31, the council's imminent consultation will inform the decision to select one of the four strategic growth locations announced last week (namely Lighthorne Heath, Long Marston airfield, Southam with Stoneythorpe or South East Stratford) for inclusion in the core strategy.”