Basildon is facing a massive housing shortage which will only get worse, it has been claimed.

The number of people on the council waiting list for homes has shot up from 1,749 in 2000, to more than 3,000 in 2010, according to the Home Builders Federation. The organisation also said the current house building in Basildon is about 550 properties a year, nearly half the projected target of 1,040.

The figures come as the Echo can reveal the amount of affordable homes set to be built under Basildon Council’s preferred development blueprint over the next 20 years would fall far short of Government targets.

The Echo has previously reported the council hopes to build a minimum of just 6,500 properties by 2032, mainly in town centres and urban areas.

About 30 per cent of these should be designated affordable or social housing, but the council’s preferred option would mean between 10 and 20 per cent.

Andrew Whitaker, planning director of the federation, said: “The council must demonstrate its targets are based on firm evidence of what housing is actually needed, and are not driven by political decisions to appease those already with homes.”

Its report also said by not meeting targets, Basildon could miss out on £8million of annual funding from the Government, under the New Homes Bonus Scheme, as well as the creation of 735 local construction jobs.

l There are three public consultations left for residents to have their say over future house building in the borough.

The exhibitions are tomorrow, at Wickford Community Centre, from 10am until 4pm, on Wednesday, at Pitsea Leisure Centre, from noon until 9pm, and on Thursday, at Laindon Community Centre from noon until 9pm BASILDON Council leader Tony Ball slammed the report as “nonsense”.

He said: “Waiting lists have risen over the past decade because of Government changes, which meant people from outside the borough had to be allowed on the list. I believe this is changing back, so we should see a reduction.”

He said there was currently about 20 per cent affordable housing in the borough, which the council hoped to maintain over the next 20 years.

He added: “Over the past 10 years, we were averaging about 280 homes built a year. Our current targets are realistic. This report is based on the Labour Government targets, which are about to be abolished, so the report is nonsense.”