Hundreds of extra homes may have to be built in South Kesteven each year for it to meet proposed planning targets that could be set by central government.

The government is looking at taking away local discretion over the rate of housebuilding and replacing it with a centrally-set annual target.

Local councils will then be told how many homes they must designate land for each year, according to an algorithm, which considers factors like housing affordability.

However, analysis by planning and development consultancy Lichfields suggests that much of the new housing outside London will be concentrated in the suburbs and the shires, traditionally Conservative heartlands.

For South Kesteven, Lichfields says its annual house build numbers increase from 645 a year under the current local plan to 732 under to current standard method to 839 a year under the proposed standard method.

For Rutland the numbers increase from 122 a year under the current local plan, it says, to 150 under the current standard method, to 307 a year under the proposed standard method.

The Harborough MP Neil O'Brien has also noted Tory areas will typically have to receive more houses and Labour ones less and has warned of political consequences.

Already national media has reported a 'backlash' from Conservative MPs, forcing ministers to review their proposals.

South Kesteven District Council told Nub News: "This is a Government consultation on proposals for measures it says will improve the effectiveness of the current planning system. The deadline for responses is 1 October and South Kesteven District Council is studying the proposals in detail before responding."

For Rutland Council, Coun Gordon Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning, told Nub News: "The UK government is consulting on national planning proposals that could mean Rutland is required to build an additional 140 new homes per year, over and above what is currently included in the county's Draft Local Plan. We are deeply concerned about the potential impact this could have.

"National planning consultants using the government's current standard methodology have reported that Rutland needs around 127 new homes per year.

"The County Council's assessed housing need, carried out by highly regarded independent experts, is for 160 new homes to be built in the county each year.

"This is the figure which has been included in Rutland's latest Local Plan and is consistent with the number of homes built locally, on average, for the past 20 years.

Coun Brown added: "It is inconceivable that Rutland could sustain over 300 new homes per year – as is being suggested by the government's calculations – without large swathes of green fields being ploughed up for development. We object to this new methodology in the strongest possible terms and will be responding to the consultation accordingly."

Nub News approached both Grantham and Stamford MP Gareth Davies and Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns for comment.