AROUND 2,800 new homes will be built in Waverley by 2016, after a major plan allocating housing numbers across Surrey was approved by Surrey County Council.

Critics of the county structure plan argue that it does little to protect Surrey's green belt, while supporters claim that extra protection is being given to the county's key environmental areas.

On Tuesday the county council agreed to adopt the plan, which will be used as a template by borough councils, including Waverley, to draw up localised versions.

It sets out a county-wide planning strategy to cover all aspects of land use and, while it addresses a range of land uses such as employment, retail, recreation and transport, the most controversial aspect is its impact on housing.

The government has said that Surrey has to find space for almost 36,000 new homes, which will be built by 2016, when the plan expires.

Although areas such as Guildford, Reigate and Banstead will bear the brunt of the new housing, Waverley also has to take a share and find space to accommodate 2,810 new homes.

However, the Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council has placed in the plan vital restrictions on development in many areas, such as green belt land and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

It directs new major developments to "strategic hubs" - Guildford, Redhill and Woking - which the council claim have the strongest potential for bolstering their infrastructure to deal with the extra homes.

On top of this, the plan includes the provision that 40 per cent of all new housing must be deemed affordable, to help those who cannot afford to rent or buy on the open market.

This means that in Waverley, 1,124 new homes will be built for key workers, for low-cost rental and for shared ownership.

"This is a significant day for everybody in Surrey - this structure plan ensures that we have a say in what role Surrey plays in the government's plans for additional housing in the South East," county council leader Nick Skellett said.

"Without the Surrey structure plan, we would have had no say in how much of our land was developed to accommodate the 36,000 housing allocation, and would have been left at the mercy of government bureaucrats.

"Now we have a strong framework which will ensure any development happens with a common goal in mind. I am also particularly pleased that we have managed to avoid any commitment to development on green belt land.

"This is a positive plan, which works hard to retain the values Surrey residents hold dearest, while acknowledging the county's need to play some role in an ever-expanding region."

However, Surrey's Liberal Democrats have attacked the structure plan, which include proposals to "build new housing in the green belt north east of Guildford".

The Lib Dems claim that this will set a very dangerous precedent that may result in further threats to Surrey's green belt.

"By refusing to delete the proposal for housing development in the green belt, the Conservative administration at county hall has failed Surrey's people," Liberal Democrat county councillor Tom Sharp said.

"Green belt is sacrosanct and that has to be absolutely clear in our structure plan.

"Our duty as county councillors is to protect the green belt."

However, Waverley's councillors were more upbeat and believe that the structure plan will help to improve the borough's infrastructure.

County councillor for Farnham South David Munro said: "The structure plan is good news for Farnham as it protects the town's essential character and helps protect it against unwanted development, but at the same time recognising that Farnham is part of the Blackwater Valley."

"This will give us extra ammunition to make the case for the Hickley's Corner underpass and a Wrecclesham Relief Road, as we now have the evidence that the county believes that better transport links are essential to the whole area.

"In order to get the essential road improvements that residents have long been demanding, we need united, all-party support and I'm afraid cracks are beginning to appear.

"I would urge all parties to support the Hickley's Corner underpass and Wrecclesham Relief Road and not, either by accident or design, weaken our arguments to government."

Surrey County Council will officially adopt the new structure plan in six weeks' time if no legal challenges to the document are made.