SWATHES of Farnham countryside are under threat from unchecked development following the Government's reform of the planning system, a local councillor has warned.

Waverley Borough Council is under pressure to build around 3,500 houses in the borough over the next 15 years and, as much of the green space around Farnham is not protected by the Green Belt, unlike the majority of Waverley, councillors fear Farnham could become an easy target for development.

On Tuesday the Government unveiled a new simplified National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), cutting more than 1,000 pages of planning guidance to around 50 and seeking to safeguard Britain's countryside.

But, although the new NPPF reinstates a requirement for planners to recognise the value of "ordinary" countryside (ie not in the Green Belt) in determining planning applications, Farnham councillor Carole Cockburn has warned a preference for "sustainable development" leaves Farnham very vulnerable.

For full story, see this week's Farnham Herald.