CHANCELLOR and Surrey MP Phillip Hammond has reportedly told a group of Tory councillors to “build up around commuter stations” to avoid housing on Green Belt and countryside sites.

The Runnymede and Weybridge MP’s comments were, according to Surrey County Councils’ cabinet member for health Helyn Clack, made during the Surrey Conservatives annual conference.

Mrs Clack posted on Twitter: “At Surrey Area Conservatives conference where local MP Philip Hammond says to councillors on housing not to build on green belt or the countryside but to build up around commuter stations.”

It comes after government planning inspector Johnathan Bore, as part of his ongoing examination of Waverley Borough Council’s draft local plan last November, queried whether more green belt land would need to be released to meet the demand for housing in the borough.

Mr Bore’s report on the examination of Waverley’s Local Plan Part 1 is expected to be published “shortly”, housing secretary Sajid Javid announced last week.