A PETITION calling for Reigate and Banstead's green belt to be protected, signed by more then 1,200 people, will be put under the nose of the planning inspector who will consider the area's future development strategy next month.
The public gallery at Reigate Town Hall was packed last night as the borough council debated the petition, which calls for a halt to plans for development of green belt land.
It was sparked after the council earmarked areas of protected land outside Redhill and Reigate which could each provide up to 700 new homes, in its draft core strategy - a document which outlines where development should happen up to 2027.
The council voted to "note" the petition, and forward it to the Government planning inspector, who will perform an examination in public of the core strategy, from May 14.
However they stopped short of "endorsing" the petition -voting down a motion by Green Party councillors who called for the stronger wording.
The inspector will spend six days examining the strategy. His recommendations will be made within the following two months and the strategy is expected to be finalised by late summer.
