UP TO 1.4 million new homes will be needed in the South East over the next 20 years, says a report out today.

Who Needs Housing? was launched at a Brighton Centre conference by junior housing minister Chris Mullin.

The figure is significantly higher than the estimate of 1.1 million earlier this year by SERPLAN, the regional planning conference, which caused shock waves across Sussex.

Researchers Christine Whitehead and Alan Holmans, from Cambridge University, said that the minimum necessary between 1996 and 2016 would be 1,288

million and the maximum 1,408 million.

The report does not break down how many new homes will be needed in East and West Sussex.

But the county is already struggling to cope with Government demands, leading to local protests.

Mr Mullin said at the National Housing Federation South East conference: "We're facing an enormous challenge in this region."

And federation spokesman Bernadette Stokoe insisted housing requirements would not lead to concreting over the South East.

She added: "The South East has the lowest housing densities in the country at just 23 homes per hectare.

"The region is still predominantly rural and if many of these small communities are to survive, the critical factors are new affordable homes which help local people not to be priced out of the area, and more jobs."

The report shows that average house prices are running between four and a half and five times annual income in Sussex.

Typical house price in East Sussex is £76,643 and income £16,700. In West Sussex the figures are £88,701 and £18,060.

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