Communities and Local Government has denied that "significant swathes" of countryside would be lost through its Regional Spatial Strategies.
According to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) over 2,250 hectares of greenfield land, including areas of designated Green Belt, are set to be developed for housing each year, equivalent to the size of the city of Birmingham.
The CPRE has complained that proposals made by regional planners to reduce the environmental impact and respond to public concerns are routinely over-ridden by the Government.
But a Communities and Local Government spokesperson said the analysis was "flawed and one sided".
He said: "What the CPRE fail to tell you is that since 1997 the overall amount of Green Belt has grown by 33,000 hectares or 44,000 football pitches.
"The latest statistics show it is possible to build the homes future generations need while protecting the environment and green spaces and preventing urban sprawl. The overwhelming majority of homes, 77 per cent in 2007, are being built on brownfield land. Building on brownfield will remain our clear priority.
"Regional plans are clear that any local council reviews must meet the tough national criteria for protecting the Green Belt set by the Government."
The CPRE voiced particular concern that regional housing targets have been increased and policies to secure less damaging development diluted, often during the final stage of the RSS process.
The organisation also argued that regional strategies frequently contain contradictory policies to reduce carbon emissions while supporting such developments as airport expansion.
Fiona Howie, CPRE’s senior regional policy officer, said: "We do need more homes, but they should be delivered in a way that will not damage the environment and people’s quality of life."
The CPRE has made it clear it is unhappy with the Government’s current plans to shift regional planning from Regional Assemblies to the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).
Howie argued: "If regional planning is to be reformed it must be done in ways which address the environmental shortcomings of current practice. In future, regional plans should set out an environmentally sustainable and achievable vision for the regions, developed by genuine partnership with those living and working in the area."
