GREEN Belt land at Kiln Lane in Brockham has been saved from development after an appeal was lost.
Mole Valley district councillors have already rejected two applications by Paul Hunt Developments to build on the five-acre site.
The firm appealed the decision on the first plan submitted, for the construction of 45 homes on the green belt land, but government inspector Jon Papworth has now dismissed the appeal.
"The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt and would also cause harm to openness and to one of the purposes of the Green Belt, as well as to the character and appearance of the area," Mr Papworth stated in his report, published on Wednesday.
"No other considerations have been shown sufficient to clearly outweigh the harm and therefore for the reasons given above it is concluded that the appeal should be dismissed."
He added: "The site is a prominent open area of land, with the bungalow to the west and the buildings to the east being, due to their location, visually associated more with the adjoining development than with the bulk of the field which is open and undeveloped.
"The situation of the Nutwood Avenue development is unusual, being depressed into the former clay workings, which reduces its prominence in wider views but the two storey dwellings are, nevertheless, evident in close views.
"It is clear from the topography of the site, being more 'domed' than 'depressed' that the development would have a profound and serious adverse effect on openness."
Campaigners against the proposed development are celebrating after learning of Mr Papworth's decision.
Nutwood Action Group chairman Roger Abbott said: "We are delighted. Everybody here is delighted.
"He recognised the point that it's a very, very important piece of Green Belt.
"He refers to it as being domed because it's so prominent and can be seen for miles and miles around.
"You can see all the way to Reigate Hill from the top so it's a very important piece of land and that it why it is wrong to try and build houses on it."
He added: "We know there is a need for housing in Brockham but it's the size and scale of the development that is wrong.
"What we need in Brockham is not the kind of housing that he is proposing in any way. We need some on a small scale. A few houses here and a few there.
"And we need to provide two or three bedroom houses, not four or five bedroom houses.
"We need them to be specifically for village people."
