Liz Townsend, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and economic development, said: “If these targets continue to be imposed without flexibility, the consequences for Waverley will be severe.”
She said the council risked “overdeveloping our towns and rural villages, placing huge pressure on already-strained roads, public transport, schools, healthcare, and water and power utilities”.
Townsend added: “We would also see the loss of valued green spaces and wildlife habitats, running directly against the government’s own environmental goals.”
The council is also urging the government to implement stronger safeguards for National Landscapes and other environmental designations, and to recognise the value of countryside beyond the green belt.