THE leader of Waverley council's opposition Conservative group has accused the Liberal Democrat administration of "letting the government tickle its tummy" over plans for nearly 3,000 new homes in the borough.

The government wants 200,000 new homes built in the South East before 2016, 34,500 of them in Surrey, with 2,810 in Waverley.

The 2,810 homes earmarked for Waverley works out at 187 new houses per year - three fewer than the 190 built each year for the past five years - and the figure means no houses would have to be built on Green-Belt land.

But David Harmer, leader of Waverley's Conservatives and Hindhead councillor, says the council should not accept the 2,810 figure, dictated by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

"I'm prepared to believe that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is likely to override us on this, but if we just roll over and let them tickle our tummies and we build on land fit for development we might later have to build on land that isn't."

Speaking at a meeting of Waverley's executive committee, the council's director of planning, Stephen Thwaites responded: "I understand and to some extent share Mr Harmer's views.

"Our view as officers is that the amount of proposed development is compatible with the level of development we are already accommodating and it would be hard for us to resist, so we're not recommending objection."