Guildford Council agrees plan for green belt housing

The council's Local Plan will now be put forward for public consultation

A plan to remove 15 Surrey villages from the green belt is to be put forward for public consultation after being agreed by Guildford Council.

Twenty seven councillors supported the plan which will form the council's housing development strategy for the next 15 years, with 14 voting against.

The council said a lack of brownfield land meant removing the green belt status of areas had to be considered.

The 12-week public consultation period for the Local Plan begins on 1 July.

Monika Juneja, the lead councillor for planning at the council said that building on brownfield sites was still the preferred option for development.

But with 89% of land designated as green belt there was not enough brownfield land to provide homes for a growing population.

A final decision on the Local Plan is not expected until 2015.