The long-running battle over Haslemere’s countryside has ended in defeat for local campaigners after a government planning inspector overturned Waverley Borough Council’s refusal of the controversial Scotland Park scheme — clearing the way for 111 new homes, a scout facility and a forest school on land off Midhurst Road.

Inspector Phillip Ware ruled in favour of developer Redwood South West Limited, allowing the scheme on 23 hectares of open countryside within the Surrey Hills National Landscape. The decision comes 17 months after a previous refusal was quashed by the High Court for procedural unfairness, forcing the April inquiry to be held again before packed public galleries in Haslemere Hall.

The 23-hectare site sits on the town’s southern edge and is currently open countryside. Waverley had argued the plans would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape.

The inspector accepted that the development would cause “large adverse” harm to ridge-top fields but concluded that biodiversity gains and tree planting would soften the impact over time.

The key factor was Waverley’s short housing land supply of just 1.28 years, far below the required five. Mr Ware said this shortfall, combined with “public benefits and affordable homes”, amounted to “exceptional circumstances” justifying the development.

Councillor Liz Townsend, Waverley’s portfolio holder for planning, said: “We are very disappointed with this decision. The council robustly defended its refusal, reflecting both our policies and residents’ concerns. It does not change our commitment to protecting valued landscapes or our focus on sustainable, well-designed development.”

But campaigners say the ruling undermines the entire system of national protection.

Howard Brown, of the Haslemere South Residents Association, said: “This is a profound setback for Haslemere’s green heritage. If ‘exceptional circumstances’ can be stretched to justify destroying the Surrey Hills National Landscape, then what landscape in England is truly safe?”

Chris Harrison, chair of the Haslemere Society, added: “It’s hard not to feel despondent. This appears to be a consequence of the government’s revised housing targets.”

Former Independent Surrey County and Town Councillor, Nikki Barton, said: “This decision highlights a paradox – Planning Inspectors grant permission citing housing shortages as ‘exceptional circumstances’, while the government insists new homes shouldn’t destroy protected countryside. Haslemere spent years creating its Neighbourhood Plan, which clearly marked this site for protection outside the settlement boundary, yet the Inspector’s decision ignores that entirely.”

A spokesperson for Haslemere Town Council said: "The town council, which was part of the Rule 6 party set up to challenge the appeal for the development of Scotland Park Phase Two, is hugely disappointed at the Planning Inspector's decision to allow it. As well as this development potentially having a detrimental effect on local residents and amenities, it may well have wider implications for further development on the National Landscape in Waverley and beyond.”

Objectors to the development fear that this decision could risk opening the floodgates for speculative development across protected countryside and what has happened in Haslemere could soon happen anywhere.