Huntingdonshire District Council has revealed that there could be a potential to build more than 11,000 homes in the area over the next few decades.

The figure comes as the council continues to look at brownfield sites across the district that have the ability to create housing stock as a part of their Local Plan.

A spokesman from the council said: “The emerging local plan to 2036 proposes a number of larger sites with potential for around 11,000 homes on previously developed land (brownfield sites).”

This figure, however, does not include the many smaller previously developed sites across the district which may have potential for nine or fewer dwellings alike to those in the recently converted Huntingdonshire FA building, in St Johns Street, Huntingdon.

“We cannot forecast any sites which may have potential to be redeveloped in the future should the current use cease,” added the council spokesman.

The plan is likely to include Former Pepper Kitchens, in Station Road, Warboys and RAF Alconbury, which will be handed back to the Ministry of Defence in 2023, when the United States Air Force withdraws, and RAF Wyton.

These sites and other brownfield areas in Huntingdonshire have been given the backing from council leaders, as they seek to protect the green belt areas from further development.

At a full council meeting on July 29 Councillor Jason Ablewhite, executive leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, said: “Brownfield sites are good options that would be good way out of building in our beautiful rural areas.

“The pressure of development and growth will continue to be a concern going forward.”

The use of brownfield sites was backed by a number of other councillors at the meeting including UKIP councillor for Ramsey Lisa Duffy, who said: “We would like to see a reduction in building over our beautiful countryside but we need affordable housing.”

With the average house price rising in Cambridge to £422,539, according to property website Right Move, and those in Huntingdon rising to about £210,000, council leaders have estimated that buyers could be looking to move away from the city.

Cllr Ablewhite added: “We need houses that people can afford.”

The news comes as the Government announced that developers could get automatic planning permission to build on disused and brownfield sites and major housing projects could be fast-tracked.

According to the district council, the Huntingdonshire local plan to 2036 will not be released until mid 2016 “due to delayed production of further evidence base documents”.