Brighton and Hove Council is rebelling against Government plans for thousands of new homes.

The Government has been recommended by a panel to fix a figure of 2,420 new homes a year for the next 16 years in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove.

But the authority has told the Government this figure is far too high and said the new homes could lead to a string of social problems.

It said the number of planned homes should be rejected.

Environment director Alan McCarthy said the new homes could mean increased long- distance commuting or an unwelcome rise in unemployment because local jobs would not be available.

He said there was no local demand for new housing and the homes would all be built for people moving into the area.

Thousands of extra jobs would be needed and he said: "It is difficult to see how increases of this scale can be met."

Mr McCarthy said there were severe limits on where houses could be placed, with three-quarters of the area covered by environmental designations of national and international importance.

He said there had already been increases in housing densities in coastal towns such as Brighton and Hove and they could not take many more.

He warned there was no way in which this number of homes up to 2016 could be built on brownfield sites.

Mr McCarthy said: "It is highly likely that this rate of development for the area could only be achieved with substantial additional greenfield releases in unsustainable locations."

The long-term strategy for Brighton and Hove and East Sussex has been to slowly reduce the rate of development as opportunities for new building diminish.

He said the Government should fix building levels far below those suggested.