PLANS for future housing are in ruins after the government snubbed a £100,000 taxpayer-funded blueprint for development in the borough.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council has withdrawn its core strategy, outlining plans for creating thousands of homes over the next 20 years, following concerns by the Secretary of State that not enough houses could be built.

To add insult to injury, the Conservative Party has already declared they will scrap regional core strategies if they win the election.

The Core Strategy is the Council's long-term strategic policy document for planning when, where and how development will take place in the borough over the next 20 years and the infrastructure required to support it.

It also covers community issues such as quality of life, our environment, housing, education, community safety, the economy and regeneration.

It is a blow for the council after it successfully fought for a reduction in its original central government-imposed housing target from 11,240 to 10,000.

Reigate Conservative candidate Crispin Blunt said it was still the Tories' intent to scrap regional strategies if they win the election.

He said: "Hopefully, the whole process will come to an end now.

"It's a very precise summary of why we need a Conservative government in order to make sure we don't have this situation with local decisions being made by central government."

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