NUMBERS of houses in Suffolk will double by the turn of the century if government continues with its current building rates, it has been warned.In 2006 the housing stock in Suffolk stood at 310,983, but that figure will rise dramatically if building growth continues at current rates, the county's leading environmental group revealed today.

NUMBERS of houses in Suffolk will double by the turn of the century if government continues with its current building rates, it has been warned.

In 2006 the housing stock in Suffolk stood at 310,983, but that figure will rise dramatically if building growth continues at current rates, the county's leading environmental group revealed today.

Suffolk Preservation Society, which is concerned about the implications of the government's building plans warned the equivalent of “a new county of Suffolk” will be created by 2100.

The Society Director, Richard Ward, said: “We feel strongly that people should be aware of what the government's building proposals mean to Suffolk.

“If new homes continue to be built at the current rate there will be 140,800 extra homes in Suffolk by 2050.

“By the turn of the century there will be so many new houses there would practically be a new county of Suffolk, with a housing stock of more than 600,000.”

Government proposals indicate an annual build rate of 3,200 new homes every year up to 2021, although many local authorities predict they could be put under pressure to increase that figure in the near future.

Mr Ward added: “While we understand and are sympathetic to the need for more housing, we are alarmed by the predicted rate of growth, which we feel could put the rural nature of Suffolk under threat.

“We must ensure that new development does not come at the cost of destroying or compromising the beautiful and open countryside that makes Suffolk such a beautiful place to live, work and visit.”