Confidential records have thrown into question the council’s public promise to deliver 40% of green space at Otterpool Park Garden Town.

Emails between Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) and landowner Folkestone Racecourse Limited (FRL) show both parties agreed to scrap the pledge in their Expression of Interest to the government.

The comprehensive report outlined to Westminster both parties’ case to build 12,000 homes and associated infrastructure on land surrounding Folkestone Racecourse and Westenhanger in 2016.

However, Stephen Higgins, property boss at Arena Racing, the company in charge of FRL, ordered the council to remove the 40% figure in the first draft because it may be “an unrealistic target”.

Arena Racing is a subsidiary of Cozumel Estates, a company owned by developers Simon and David Rueben, with whom the council says it is in partnership for the 30-year building project.

A Freedom of Information request shows emails between Mr Higgins and Julia Wallace, the council’s Otterpool Park project manager, fine-tuning the document.

When presented with the original draft, Mr Higgins wrote to Ms Wallace: “We have previously outlined our concerns regarding setting, what may turn out to be an unrealistic target of up to 40% of the developable land as green open space.”

He went on to call the figure “potentially unobtainable” adding: “We would ask that you consider removing (the figure).

“We do not want to set objectives that we cannot deliver at this stage.”

And so after the agreement was thrashed out the 40% green space guarantee was removed from the council’s Expression of Interest altogether before it was published, emails show.

The Guiding Principles section in the draft original said: “A good quantity and diverse network range of green open space of the highest quality, with ambitions for this to present at least 40% of the land.”

In the final copy, available on the council’s website that paragraph has been removed.

Despite Arena Racing refusing to commit in 2016 the council has continued to tout 40% of the 600 hectares site as quality green public land.

Since 2016 that quantity of land has been cited in public consultations, press interviews, official statements and now the council’s master plan.

A council spokesman said: “The Framework masterplan confirms 40% across the development – excluding private gardens.”

Master plans are dynamic long-term planning blueprints that provide a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development for existing or new urban areas.

As fluid blueprints they are not legally binding and subject to change depending on economic, social and political factors.

Recently the council said the development will now contain 10,000 homes instead of 12,000, to house 29,000 people.

It argued slashing the number would mean fewer flats being built.