He is one of Hollywood's original environmentalists, who was promoting the noble virtues of renewable energy and eco-friendly design long before it was fashionable. But Robert Redford takes a dim view of sustainable development in his own, leafy backyard.

The Oscar-winning actor, whose decades of pioneering green activism saw him elevated to Time magazine's list of "environmental superheros", has prompted talk of black pots and kettles by joining a crusade to prevent the development of a new "eco village" in California's picturesque Napa Valley.

Redford, 72, has joined Save Rural Angwin, a pressure group dedicated to opposing the development of several hundred green family dwellings, together with a retirement home, on 63 rolling acres near to a secluded wine country estate he bought eight years ago.

The 275 proposed low-energy homes could scarcely be more environmentally sensitive. They will get energy from solar panels, use recycled water and support an organic farming co-operative. Residents will be automatically enrolled in an electric car-sharing scheme

Redford's lobby group is concerned that, despite its green credentials, the development will require several fields to be bulldozed. Its environmental benefits will be cancelled out by increases in traffic in the area, they argue. The houses will be some distance from any large-scale job bases, they note, meaning residents will be forced to make lengthy commutes.

"I believe that the citizens of Napa Valley care about preserving our beautiful agricultural and rural heritage," said Redford in a statement. "That is why I am happy to join Save Rural Angwin in its efforts to preserve this naturally carved land-basin from development."

To some, Redford's complaint hits a sharp nail on the head: many activists believe that projects such as Angwin eco-village represent little more than a cynical attempt by canny developers to use "green-washing" to get permission to build homes that would never otherwise be allowed.

To others, however, the campaign he has joined is at least partly misguided: thousands of new homes must be built in California over the coming years.

Either way, his decision to oppose the eco-village may feel a little rum to residents of rural Utah. In 1969, Redford bought 6,000 acres of mountainside near Park City and proceeded to turn it into the world-famous Sundance ski resort, named after one of his most famous roles: the Sundance Kid.

Meanwhile the developers of Angwin's proposed eco-village, which involves a partnership between a firm called Triad and the cash-strapped local college, responded to Redford's comments.

"I don't want to use the hypocrisy word here," Curt Johansen, the executive vice president of Triad, told The New York Times. "[But] I don't think he'd be in opposition to this if he knew the whole story."