'Concern' over green belt housing

Guildford is one of the areas earmarked for additional housing

A Surrey council has said it is "extremely concerned" about the threat to green belt land posed by higher house-building targets.

The government said last week it wanted 33,125 new homes-a-year to be built in the South East until 2026.

Guildford council said it would mean an average of 422 new houses a year in the borough - 100 more than proposed in the South East Plan in 2006.

The government has said it will protect areas of natural beauty in Surrey.

But north-east Guildford was among areas earmarked for increased housing in the revised South East Plan published by the government on Thursday.

The Guildford Society said the proposals would "wreck" the town.

'No over-development'

The government has said some green belt land, which has been protected from building for more than 50 years, is likely to be needed.

Councillor Jenny Wicks said the council was disappointed the government wanted 422 homes a year in the borough but had feared the number might be even greater.

"We remain extremely concerned about the additional 100 homes each year and the threat this brings to the green belt," she said.

"We will do everything we can to avoid building on the borough's green belt and any over-development of suburban areas."

Other Surrey towns affected by the proposals include Woking, Dorking, Reigate and Esher.

The government has said the increase in housing is a "modest" 4%, with 80% of the South East still classified as rural.

It said there were more than 200,000 households on council waiting lists in the region and more than 7,500 homeless households in temporary accommodation.

The council will hold a public meeting on the revised South East Plan in early September as part of a consultation period which runs until 24 October.