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Council leaders in South East England have said the government's housing plans are "in tatters" following a judgment by planning inspectors.
And the Conservatives accused the government of promoting "unsustainable urban sprawl" through its bid to boost house-building.
An independent panel appointed by the government has reported on the development strategy for the South East.
It recommended an increase in the overall levels of housing to 32,000 a year, with a total of 640,160 over the period between 2006 and 2026.
That figure was more than the 28,900 a year being proposed by the regional assembly, but falls short of the 38,000 a year needed to meet the government's national targets,
The inspectors said they could not accept that "the national objective of providing housing opportunities for 'everyone' is feasible".
They warned that "it is not simply a case of building our way out of the affordability crisis".
"We cannot say whether there would be any discernible benefit at the regional level on affordability from our recommended increase in housing levels," they added.
Responding to the news, shadow planning minister Jacqui Lait said: "Gordon Brown's empty promise that he would protect the green belt has been exposed to be worthless.
"His own government officials are planning to let rip with the concrete mixer and add to unsustainable urban sprawl.
"Labour's policies are only going to deliver sprawling housing estates, without proper infrastructure, much of it on flood plains.
"Local residents will be powerless to stop the unelected bureaucrats building the sink estates of the 21st century."
And Henry Smith, chairman of the South East County Leaders, said that plans "are in tatters after the government's own planning inspectors rejected them".
"This is a victory for the South East, as inspectors endorse our considered response to housing pressures and throw out the government’s impetuous and ill-thought-out intervention," he added.
"If the prime minister really wants to help families get onto the property ladder, he will have to follow the advice of his own planning inspectors and work with the South East County Leaders to help us safeguard our unique environment and provide timely and adequate investment to make the new homes places that families will really want to live."
A spokesman for Department for Communities and Local Government said the report was "about the regional assembly's own plan for the South East not the government's national target for new homes".
"The independent report only takes into account policy up to the end of March 2007, this predates our policy development in the housing green paper including eco-towns, and we understand that the report makes this crystal clear."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd