SURREY County Council has passed a motion resolving to use its power to protect the county's green belt.
At a meeting of the council today, all councillors voted unanimously to pass the motion, which also promises to make sure any green belt development is "in line with the needs and wishes of Surrey residents".
It comes as Mole Valley District Council carries out its green belt boundary review, which is part of its bid to meet a target of providing 3,760 new homes before 2026.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is carrying out a similar review.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Stephen Cooksey (Lib Dem, Dorking and the Holmwoods) said: "Mole Valley is already committed under the current core strategy to find space this housing.
"It is almost inevitable, under the new planning regime, that any future revision in order to produce a local plan, would escalate those numbers significantly.
"So where does Mole Valley put those houses – evidence suggests that there is insufficient brownfield land available, which leaves just two options – to use land already allocated for local employment, community facilities and recreation or to make significant incursions into the green belt. Neither is acceptable to local people or local councillors."
He added: "In Mole Valley the district council is reluctantly conducting a green belt review to examine whether there are plots on the urban fringe that no longer fulfil green belt requirements.
"The county council has an excellent record of fighting to preserve the green belt and should be doing everything that it can to influence those who are responsible for putting it at risk."
