RESIDENTS will fight to preserve the green belt around Reigate and Redhill – that was the overwhelming message at a packed public meeting called to discuss threats to green belt land to the east of Redhill and Merstham and to the southwest of Reigate.
Both areas have been identified as possible sites for up to 700 new homes in the borough council's draft core strategy – a crucial document which the authority must produce, and which must outline broad areas where thousands of homes could be built up to 2027.
Around 70 residents crammed into the meeting in Redhill on Monday evening, with some standing outside in the corridor to listen because it was so full.
All but one of those present voted to support a motion put forward by Harry Ingram of the Reigate Society, which stated that those present were "implacably opposed" to any development of the green belt within the borough.
Redhill West councillor Julian Ellacott told the meeting the council had to comply with a Government planning inspector's demands to identify which areas of green belt could provide housing.
He said: "His word is law. At the moment he is the most powerful person in this borough."
Reigate MP Crispin Blunt was not at the meeting, but a statement from him was read out.
He pledged to confront the Government on the issue, and initiate a Commons debate: "To make clear the unacceptability of green belt policy being subverted by the Department for Communities and Local Government's own planning inspectors behaving in this way."
Residents were told they must provide reasoned arguments, and that "nimby" opposition would not wash with the planning inspector.
Green Party councillor for Redhill East Sarah Finch said: "If the inspector rejects this core strategy and we don't have one then it really is a free-for-all.
"Developers can propose what they want, and the council won't have the backup to refuse it. The core strategy needs to be robust to resist unwanted development throughout the whole borough."
She said the Green Party had organised the meeting after the council told her there was no budget for a public meeting to address residents' concerns.
Fellow Green Party councillor Jonathan Essex urged residents to read the 700-page document, and called for empty office space to be converted to housing.
Some residents criticised the council for not communicating the plan to them earlier.
They were told it is now too late to make any substantial changes to the draft strategy, but that any comments submitted to the council before a February 4 deadline would be considered by the planning inspector.
