THE number of homes in Tendring’s blueprint for future housing looks set to be slashed by a further 2,000.

Tendring Council was set to earmark sites for 10,000 new homes as part of its Local Plan, which will guide new housing developments over the next 17 years.

The district had originally been told it would need 12,000 new homes, based on official government projections.

But a new report by consultants Peter Brett Associates said Tendring had a “legitimate reason to query” the figures because of a decrease in population, which fell from 138,539 in 2001 to 138,048 in 2011.

Ukip councillor Jeff Bray put forward a motion at the latest Local Plan committee, which called for a review of the housing numbers and also called for no more than 479 homes a year.

The motion was passed unanimously after being supported by council leader and committee chairman Neil Stock.

Mr Stock said it had cross-party support and would now mean the data was reviewed by the council’s consultants.