Cllr Parker said: “To set the record straight: I would like to see more students housed on the University of Surrey [UoS] campus.

“There there is already planning permission for 2,000 units, which the university has failed to build for the past five years at least.

Cllr Susan Parker

“I do think it a shame when prime residential land is used for student accommodation instead of permanent homes since that means land for sustainable building will create dwellings which are used for only half the year. This increases urban sprawl, which is environmentally undesirable.

“Taking the quote out of context is pretty silly.

“I don’t understand why the Students’ Union chose to construct a badly researched personal attack on me, nor why Cllr Steel chose to retweet it. Is it that I have opposed Blackwell Farm, in which UoS has a financial interest?”

In May this year, the Students’ Union apologised to Cllr Parker for failing to invite her to a hustings event. It is understood their rationale was that the GGG party Cllr Parker leads was not standing in any of the town centre wards where nearly all UoS students reside.

Students Union apology Tweet to Susan Parker, sent in May.

Jacob Allen, a Labour Party activist and former part-time officer of the university’s Political Society, also retweeted the Planning video on his personal account.

He said: “Cllr Parker threatened to report the SU [Students’ Union] to the Electoral Commission for not including the GGG in a hustings debate.

Jacob Allen

“The SU invited Lab (Howard Smith), Con (Paul Spooner), R4GV (John Rigg) and Lib Dem (George Potter), as these were the four main parties students (who overwhelmingly live in Guildford town) had the choice to vote for.

No GGG candidate stood in a densely student populated area like Onslow, FSN or Westborough.

“While Cllr Parker’s vote [at the GBC Planning meeting] was in favour of the development, the video shows her reluctance and resentment. It gave the vibe the councillors are merely tolerating us.

“To be frank, it was condescending. If a councillor had said that “We deplore the fact that we are protecting yet more green belt”, the GGG would be up in arms.

“The GGG just don’t understand the struggles students face in Surrey. It is (along with others) adamant on the University housing 60% of students on campus. This shows shocking naivety as for the past two years now, there have been empty rooms on campus. Capacity is not the issue.

“Even if it was, we are adults and the borough council has no authority to dictate where people can and cannot live. The issue is rent prices and bad landlords exploiting the housing market.

“Young people get a raw deal with housing, and I believe only Labour offers a sensible and radical solution.”

Asked about empty rooms on campus Mr Allen continued: “Lots of the rooms are kept as emergency accommodation. The new builds up at Manor Park, by the Royal Surrey County Hospital, are very flash and expensive, built to attract high fee-paying international students.

“The cheapest rooms have been earmarked for demolition for a few years but the Students’ Union keeps lobbying for delay so the less well-off students can keep living there.”

The Students’ Union has been invited to comment.