BOTH sides are claiming victory in a dispute over future housing needs for Tandridge district.
It follows a public inquiry involving three barristers this summer triggered by a proposed 13-home development in Caterham.
At the inquiry, Tandridge District Council's Core Strategy – which outlines how many new homes are needed in the district in future years – was put under the spotlight amid claims it was "out of date".
During the debate council officers, opposing the proposed development, contended the local authority had "substantially exceeded" its housing target in recent years – despite the fact that Tandridge consists of 94 per cent green belt land.
But Outwood-based Village Developments, which proposed the Caterham projectwas represented at the inquiry, claimed at the inquiry the district needs more than 500 extra homes annually, rather than the 125 extra homes per annum included in the Core Strategy.
But the Core Strategy, part of the council's Local Plan, allows for just 125 extra dwellings per annum.
In his verdict summary, planning inspector David Nicholson said: "Taken as a whole the Core Strategy is not out-of-date."
Campaigners from the Oxted and Limpsfield Residents' Group (OLRG) had raised more than £20,000 through a public appeal to engage a barrister at the inquiry to speak out against the threat of huge future development.
They called the inspector's affirmation of the Core Strategy "as a whole" a victory.
After the verdict, OLRG spokeswoman spokesman Catherine Sayer said: "We are delighted with the outcome.
"There were a lot of big guns ranged against us but our evidence was really compelling.
"We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped achieve this result."
Overturning the Core Strategy would have led to thousands more new homes for the district, she said.
However, Village Developments also claimed victory after the planning inspector allowed part of the appeal – to replace a detached house and three gardens with 13 houses in Whyteleafe Road, Caterham – and he also awarded Village Developments an unspecified amount of partial coats.
Village Developments' Managing Director Nigel Greenhalgh said: "Obviously I am happy because we won and they lost.
"This should never have gone to this length.
"The planning department at Tandridge Council should have listened to my robust arguments.
"At least 6,000 to 9,000 houses are going to be needed in Tandridge because the council is not meeting its housing needs."
He claimed the council had wasted public money on the exercise.
Mr Greenhalgh also said a previous planning inspector had ruled the Local Plan was out-of-date.