Environmental groups have warned surviving countryside could be under threat if a new planning policy becomes law.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) launched a campaign in response to the Government's National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which if approved will relax planning laws and make it easier for developers to build on greenfield sites.

The biggest shake up to planning policy in the last 30 years, the NPPF will replace advice contained in existing planning documents removing the requirement for developers to build on brownfield sites first and therefore opening up greenfield sites for greater development.

Andy Smith, branch director of the Surrey branch of the CPRE, said: “Suddenly there won’t be the requirement to build on previously developed land and it will be cheaper and easier for developers to build on greenfield sites.

“They don’t have to demolish or decontaminate any buildings and that’s why developers want prime green field sites.

“Politicians keep saying that the green belt is safe but the problem is if a local authority is given housing targets in an area where most of it is a green belt, like Mole Valley and Epsom and Ewell, they won’t be able to meet those targets any other way than by building on the green belt and greenfield sites.

“There’s nothing built in to the NPPF which says they can’t do that.”

The NPPF also allows for a review of the boundaries of the green belt which campaigners fear could cause a reduction to the greenbelt.

Mr Smith added: “On one hand they are saying the green belt is safe.

“But we could see chunks of the green belt taken away in future years to make way for housing.

“Surrey is more vulnerable because we are quite literally in the front line in proximity to London considering the desire for new houses to be built in an area like this that’s so close to London.”

Epsom and Ewell Council has admitted that if accepted the NPPF will influence how the council develops local planning policy and determines proposals for new development and that by over simplifying the planning process the draft NPPF 'does run the risk of opening up the system to legal challenge'.

However council officers said they are confident that Epsom and Ewell has measures in place to protect greenfield and greenbelt sites.

A council spokesman said: “While it is correct that the draft NPPF removes the established ‘brown field first’ policy approach to development at the national policy level, that does not mean that the council cannot seek to retain this policy approach at the local policy level.

“In order to do this the council must have sound and robust evidence that demonstrates that the ‘brownfield first’ approach remains valid for Epsom & Ewell.

“Fortunately, the council has invested in developing local planning policy for the borough, supported by a sound evidence base.”

A consultation on future housing sites was recently carried out identifying a ‘sufficient supply of future housing within the borough’ which the council believe will prevent the need to consider green belt development.

A public consultation on the NPPF ended on October 17.