IT is "inevitable" that thousands of homes will be built on green- belt land at Clifton and Gamston, councillors have secretly been advised.

The areas could help meet Government demands for 10,500 homes to be built in Rushcliffe borough, on the edge of the city, by 2026.

A consultation has been launched to gather residents' views.

But campaigners claim the advice to borough councillors – revealed under the Freedom of Information Act – shows there is little choice in the consultation.

They have also hit out at local politicians for failing to challenge the Government and come up with a scheme which meets the housing numbers without building on green belt.

However, Rushcliffe council leader Neil Clarke said current policy left no alternative but to look at green-belt sites, and the council was campaigning to reduce the numbers of houses.

Green-belt activist Colin Raynor, of Gotham, said the advice showed that the consultation was merely to ask residents how, rather than if, the developments should be built in Clifton and Gamston. The consultation ends on April 12.

"It is not consultation if there is no choice," he said. "They are not providing any room for manoeuvre. It is a complete sham."

Mr Raynor said alternative options included dispersing new housing among existing communities.

Paul Kaczmarczuk, chairman of Barton-in-Fabis Parish Council, called on voters to pressure prospective Parliamentary candidates on the issue.

"Those who defend this completely indefensible planning permission should be the ones that either don't get in, or get kicked out," he said.

Coun Clarke said the term "inevitable" was not specifically relating to Clifton and Gamston, but to large-scale development under the Government's Regional Spatial Strategy, which imposes housing numbers.

"Development is inevitable unless that policy changes. We want to provide the evidence to change that policy of large-scale housing allocation numbers.

"I have requested a meeting with the housing minister to have the policy reviewed on the basis that we don't think there is as much demand."

He said taking part in the consultation could strengthen this argument.

"This is a serious exercise," he said. "No formal decisions have been made. It is the biggest consultation we have ever undertaken."

Coun Clarke said there were no large brownfield sites left in Rushcliffe and building houses around existing villages in such numbers was difficult because of the infrastructure needed.

jon.robinson@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk