A council is to proceed with the development of a key document which outlines where almost 9,500 homes can be built over the next 20 years.

North Norfolk District Council is under pressure to get its new local planwhich defines where new developments can take place, approved by government officials in just six months.

The Government Planning Inspectorate – which presides over planning matters – has already told the council it needs to accommodate an extra 1,500 homes to meet increased housebuilding targets.

At a cabinet meeting this week, the ruling Liberal Democrats voted to implement the new action plan, which will now be subject to public consultation.

The number of housing units set aside for villages in the district has doubled from 452 to 873 to meet the target, said the Local democracy information service.

Andrew Brown, cabinet member for planning, warned that failure to do so would leave the council with a £2.5 million black hole, due to the need to find the money to create a new local plan .

However, he doubts that they will be able to achieve the new objectives.

“It’s a sobering statistic that over a 24-year period between 2000 and 2024 we managed to build on average just under 400 homes per year, now we have to build 573,” Brown said.

“I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to whether this is feasible.”

North Walsham Liberal councilor and cabinet member for finance Lucy Shires highlighted plans to build 2,480 homes in the town raised road safety concerns.

But she said the council was “forced into a position where we have little choice”.

Shires urged citizens to share their views at the next consultation, so their views can be presented to the Planning Inspectorate.

Once approved by the government, the local plan would be formally adopted by the council.