THE GOVERNMENT is preparing to reopen the debate on the future of Oxford's Green Belt and the number of homes that the county should absorb.

In its assessment of the South East Plan, the Government suggests that the Green Belt may not be left untouched by development and a review of its boundaries should be undertaken.

And it questions whether the number of homes now being proposed will be sufficient to meet a massive backlog of un-met housing needs in the region.

The Government also raised doubts about the city council's affordable housing policy. It has asked a panel of inspectors to examine whether the council's target of making 50 per cent of new homes affordable is viable.

Detailed figures setting out the scale of housing development in Oxfordshire and the rest of the region are set out in the draft South East Plan. It was agreed after more than two years of negotiations at the regional assembly, under the chairmanship of Keith Mitchell, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council.

But with the plan set to undergo a crucial Examination in Public in two weeks' time, the Government has written to the panel of inspectors to spell out the seriousness of its concerns.

GOSE (Government Office South East) urges the inspectors to question whether the proposal to build 28,900 new homes in the region every year until 2026 can hope to reduce the backlog of housing required.

Oxfordshire has agreed to take a total of 47,200 homes under the plan, with Bicester, Didcot and Grove absorbing high proportion of them. Now with central Oxfordshire identified as a region for growth, GOSE has raised a series of problems with the housing growth strategy for Oxfordshire.

It finds forecasts about jobs and housing growth are inconsistent - with the affordable homes policy viewed as potentially unachievable.

The letter to inspectors says: "We are concerned that this policy sets out a target of at least 50 per cent in response to assessments of local need. Whilst we would not dispute the high levels of need for affordable housing in Oxfordshire, we are concerned that the policy has neither been framed with a view to the economic viability of sites coming forward, or on the basis of any robust evidence as to whether this policy is deliverable."

Government unhappiness with the plan's policy that implies "no changes will need to be made to Green Belt boundaries" is made clear to the inspectors. It goes on to recommend: "If the panel agree that such a review is necessary, they may also wish to indicate the scope of the review, the possible options/outcomes to be addressed by it, and the means by which any recommendations should be implemented."

Fears about housing in the Green Belt have been stirred in villages across south Oxfordshire this month, with scores of housing schemes being submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council.

Major new settlements outside Horspath and Thame were put forward for development, along with sites at Garsington, Grenoble Road, Chalgrove, Berinsfield, Cholsey, Thame, Watlington, Berinsfield, Wallingford and Brightwell.

Keith Mitchell said he was confident in the independence of the examination panel in the face of any pressure from the Government.

He said: "The body has the same sort of status as any public inquiry. It will be headed by a professional and independent person. No one is going to roll over and surrender. And no one will be sending bulldozers into the Green Belt just yet."

But he warned that Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly would have the final say on housing numbers in the South East Plan. He said: "GOSE does represent Ruth Kelly and her Government department. At the end of the day she is the judge and jury."

John Goddard, leader of Oxford City Council, said: "We have been urging a review of the Green Belt for a long time."

But he said re-examination of the city's affordable housing policy was unnecessary. "The policy was rigorously tested at a recent public inquiry."