Opposition NE Derbyshire District Conservative councillors have criticised new planning laws as an ‘erosion of democracy’ over fears they will disempower councillors and communities during housing and development scheme decisions.

The Government is introducing reforms so planning applications will be determined by council officers from October 31 rather than by committees of councillors in what it claims is a bid to speed-up housebuilding and infrastructure delivery.

NE Derbyshire District Council voted by a majority of 66per cent to approve the new National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions for the authority despite opposition from Conservative, Reform UK and NE Derbyshire Independent councillors.

Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Alex Dale, said: “I see this as the total erosion of democracy. It’s probably one of the most important functions a district councillor performs in terms of planning and that right to be able to call-in a planning application.

NE Derbyshire District Cllr Alex Dale. Taken By BBC LDR Jon Cooper.

placeholder image — NE Derbyshire District Cllr Alex Dale. Taken By BBC LDR Jon Cooper.

“I just think this is a very worrying further episode on the kind of slippery slope of the Labour Government’s approach to planning changes. It’s totally a retrograde step. A really, really poor decision.

“I accept and I understand some of the legal risks around not voting for this but I am not prepared to be walked all over by the Government.”

Conservative Cllr Charlotte Cupit fears the changes will discourage public involvement in planning matters.

Labour Cllr Kevin Gillott told the meeting the council has to have a scheme of delegation in place by the end of the month for planning matters to be largely overseen by council officers.

He added that if the council failed to do so a lot of its planning decisions would be at risk of legal challenges that would most likely be lost,

He offered assurances that any new planning process would still be subject to transparency with reasons for decisions recorded and a review of any ‘glitches’ would be expected to take place after the May elections.

Independent Cllr Helen Weatherall said: “We are over a barrel here and there is absolutely nothing we can do legally to stop this being enforced and if we do not adopt these delegated powers and authorities then we would be at considerable risk as a council.”

Conservative Cllr Neil Baker raised concerns that the new planning system will not allow councillors to call-in planning applications and councillors would lose the ability to oversee planning matters and to represent their communities’ concerns.

Reform Cllr Carolyn Renwick said: “I think it’s a massive step backwards. I think we here today should try and find an amendment that we as a council should have some kind of form of being able to continue to have a dialogue with the head of planning and the Chair of Planning in terms of contentious planning applications and actually listen to residents’ grievances.”

NE Derbyshire Independent Cllr Ross Shipman and Reform Cllr Mark Foster also raised concerns about the changes but reinforced existing arrangements by securing a ‘friendly ammendment’ so that councillors can write to the Planning Chairperson and Assistant Director of Planning requesting that certain applications be overseen by a planning committee.

The new planning regulations for England come into force on October 31.