LIKE many people living in his area, John McCartney is a worried man.

Two weeks ago, the 67-year-old, from Mickleover, discovered a swathe of homes could potentially be built near his house.

If they are given the go-ahead, the developments would make major dents in new homes targets set by the Government for South Derbyshire District Council and Derby City Council.

By 2026, the two authorities, along with Amber Valley Borough Council, must ensure that 36,600 houses are built.

Sites in Mickleover are among several revealed as part of the authorities' public consultations into their development strategies for the next 15 to 20 years.

Some sites have planning permission, others are already allocated for housing by the councils, some have been identified as having potential for homes by the councils and others have been suggested by developers and landowners.

Mr McCartney, of Paxton Close, said he believed three of the sites mentioned in the South Derbyshire strategy as potential sites, at Hackwood Farm, Newhouse Farm and land around the former Pastures Hospital, would all cause problems for Mickleover.

The sites could provide room for 7,500 houses but he fears they would swamp the village's road, schools, dentists and doctors.

And he has already taken action to try to stop any building on the land from going ahead.

Mr McCartney said: "We only found out about it two weeks ago from a man in the pub.

"About 20 people in the area were informed and we went along to a surgery with our local councillors.

"They didn't seem to know much about it, either.

"Now the council leader, Hilary Jones, has sent letters to Mickleover residents to advertise a meeting on the subject, where there will be representatives from both South Derbyshire and the city. I don't think that would have happened if we hadn't put pressure on."

Mr McCartney said he believed there had not been enough publicity from the city council for the documents showing where the houses could be built.

He said a leaflet had arrived at his door telling him about the homes within the Derby strategy but not South Derbyshire's which are, in many cases, on the city's outskirts.

He said: "Over 50% of land identified to accommodate these houses are green-field sites forming extensions to Derby in Boulton Moor, Chellaston, Sinfin and Littleover.

"People need to realise that now is the time to comment on these sites."

Doug Rodgers, 75, also of Paxton Close, was among the 20 people who attended the surgery.

He agrees that Mickleover's infrastructure is not suited to more houses.

He said: "If it went ahead, surely people living outside the city would be using our services but these would be paid for by the city council. That can't be right."

In Derby, 14,400 homes are needed, of which 2,632 have been built since 2006; in Amber Valley, 1,416 of 10,200 are built, and in South Derbyshire 1,416 of 12,000 are built.

Rob Salmon, city council head of planning, pointed out that there is a section in the city council's online core strategy document which shows how the authority is working with South Derbyshire and Amber Valley.

This includes a map which shows the largest potential housing areas both in the city and on its outskirts.

He said: "It is always difficult to get the message to everyone. We will be coming to the meeting with South Derbyshire and Amber Valley to answer questions.

"I've heard that people think there are planning applications in for these sites but this isn't the case.

"The council has not made any decisions favouring one site over another at this stage. We will be taking more studies into account on each individual site as we move through the process."

Mr Salmon said the Government housing target figures were based on things like the number of people migrating into the area, both nationally and internationally.

He said Derby's numbers were also affected by the draw of the city's job market, an increase in single-person households and older people living longer.

He said more targets would soon be on the horizon.

He said: "I wouldn't be surprised to find new targets being set in a couple of years. Planning is a never-ending process. It's not that long since we were looking for the targets for 2021."

Derby City Council has held three drop-in sessions about the strategy and will hold a fourth at the Guildhall throughout the morning of Thursday, March 18.

The Mickleover meeting will be held tomorrow at Mickleover Primary School at 6pm.

South Derbyshire District Council has already held two open days to discuss its strategy and will hold a third on Thursday, at Hilton Village Hall, Peacroft Lane, from 10am to 7pm and another at Stenson Fields Primary School on Friday, March 19, from 3pm to 5.45pm.

Ian Bowen, South Derbyshire District Council planning policy manager, said the homes list, called the strategic planning land availability assessment, was "a piece of background evidence".

He said: "It is important that we are prepared for the changes that face the district and understand how the buildings, infrastructure and services we will need can be provided at the right time and in the right places.

"Our residents have a massive role to play in shaping the future of the district and we are holding these public exhibitions so we can listen to their views and consider them thoroughly."

Councillor Stephen Hayes, Amber Valley Borough Council's cabinet member for quality of place, said it was "crucial" people got involved in the strategies.

The authority held its first drop-in session about its strategy yesterday and will hold three more from 3pm to 7pm, this evening at Ripley Leisure Centre, Derby Road; the Old People's Welfare Centre, Wilmot Street, Heanor, on Thursday, and at Belper Football Club, on Friday.

After the consultation closes, the councils will consider all the comments received.

They will then publish their "preferred options" this summer. A public examination on the subject is likely to be held in spring 2011.

Details and maps of the potential homes sites can be found at http://www.derby shire.gov.uk/environment/land_premises/land_availab ilty/SHLAA/sites_plans/ default.asp

Full details of the three councils' core strategies can be found by clicking on the "Issues and alternative options link" on the South Derbyshire home page, the "core strategy options" link for Derby City and "Draft core strategy issues and options" for Amber Valley.

Strategy documents also include proposals for low-cost housing, regeneration of town centres and the environment.