More housing is needed in the area to solve the housing shortage

The deputy prime minister John Prescott has said the plans are necessary if more people are to own their own homes.

More than 120,000 new homes are to be built in Kent alone over the next 20 years but Mr Prescott is concerned the process is too slow and too expensive.

But environmentalists are worried green fields will be built on to meet demand.

Urban regeneration

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has already told local authorities they need to make land "available more swiftly" for house building.

It has also admitted its plans could lead to more green fields being built on but said the changes are necessary if the housing shortage is to be tackled and first time buyers are to get on the ladder.

We're very, very concerned about these proposals Dr Hilary Newport, Campaign to Protect Rural England

But Dr Hilary Newport, director of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said there were areas of the South East that need new houses more than others.

"The plans suggest that if developers are given large amounts of building land in areas of high house prices, an increase in supply will bring down the price," said Dr Newport.

"But it's areas which tend to have low prices such as run-down parts of towns, which are crying out for regeneration."

The CPRE also fears brownfield sites would be overlooked in favour of greenfield sites because they would be easier to develop.

"A failure to concentrate on urban regeneration and previously used land would be disastrous for Kent because yet more beautiful countryside would be destroyed," Dr Newport said.

"These proposals are for a really radical shake-up of the planning system and we're very, very concerned about them.

"The planning system for a long time now has really protected this small and crowded countryside from some of the worst excesses of development. These proposals could turn that on its head."