A Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment ('SHLAA') carried out by Tandridge District Council, has identified sites for 1,800 new dwellings in Tandridge over the next ten years, including 655 in Caterham. The figure, that includes properties already under construction, exceeds the quota set out in the Council's Core Strategy of 2008. This means that assessment of Green Belt sites does not need to be carried out.

Caterham's quota is the largest, due to its transport links and proximity to amenities, followed by 384 dwellings for Caterham's neighbouring village of Whyteleafe, 62 for Hurst Green, 60 for Lingfield and 54 in Warlingham. Sites for 46 dwellings have been identified in Oxted.

One of the sites identified in Caterham as 'developable and deliverable' is for 70 dwellings on what used to be Green Belt land in Whyteleafe Road. In 1992 the land was taken out of Green Belt by the government inspector because additional land was needed for housing.

An alternative development site became available when the soldiers moved out of Caterham Barracks so the Whyteleafe Road site remained undeveloped. In 2001 the Inspector said that although the land was not required for development at that time it should remain on the housing reserve list. A number of similar sites in other parts of Tandridge will be safe from the developers because they have retained their Green Belt status.

Bob Evans, Head of Planning at Tandridge District Council said: "We are 94% Green Belt in Tandridge and our towns and villages have limited capacity to take new development. On this basis we have secured a very low housing target for our area at about 125 a year on average. This is a lower rate than for previous years and the lowest in Surrey. Our strategy in providing land for this modest target is to protect the Green Belt and to manage such new development in our towns and villages in the best way possible under national planning law and policy. Places such as Caterham-on-the- Hill where the biggest sites have been and are available will inevitably take the most development." (To read Bob Evans's full statement CLICK HERE)

Chris Windridge of the Caterham Community Partnership said: "Many of the sites identified in Caterham are currently commercial sites and I think it is very short-sighted of the Council to earmark them for housing. Although some of the sites may be unoccupied at present due to the recession we need to look to the future when the economy picks up and we want to attract new business to Caterham. We will not be able to do that if commercial sites get turned into housing.

Ideally I would like to see land set aside for a science and technology park in the future that will attract investment and create more jobs for local people instead of them having to leave town every day to go to work."

The assessment was carried out by members of the planning policy team, chaired by Tandridge District Councillor for Oxted North, David Weightman, and representatives from other key stakeholders. These included representatives from the Nutfield Conservation Society, Whyteleafe Parish Council, White & Sons commercial agents and Oxted and Limpsfield Residents Group.

Surrey County Councillor for Caterham-on-the-Hill, John Orrick, said: "After the Oaklands site and the site in Whyteleafe Road we have run out of large sites for housing and most of the other prospective dwellings will come about through degradation of our environment. It is time that some of the pain was shared elsewhere. Caterham may be odd, quirky and eccentric but it is ours and worth preserving."

Jeremy Webster, Tandridge District Councillor for Queen's Park ward added: "It makes me sick to my stomach because the infrastructure isn't coping now and it certainly won't in the future. We certainly seem to be taking the brunt of the development in Tandridge." Figures provided by Tandridge District Council show that there has been a 29.9% increase in the number of dwellings in Caterham in the last 19 years compared with a 14.3% increase in Oxted over the same period.

Local historian, Jean Tooke, author of 'Bygone Caterham' expressed concern at the effect redevelopment will have on the town's heritage, saying: "It seems such a shame to have to take down the lovely Victorian houses and replace them with modern properties."

The SHLAA documents can be viewed by searching for SHLAA at www.tandridge. gov.uk/. However, Planning Officers said that the SHLAA is not binding and will be reviewed in the future and any concerns can be expressed to your local councillor.