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The membership body for local authorities in England has hit back at government plans to curtail the role of councillors in making planning decisions.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said councillors 鈥渒now their areas best and what they need鈥� and described planning committees as the 鈥渂ackbone of the English planning system鈥�.

Currently, decisions on most substantial applications are made by councillors in planning committees, with smaller applications delegated to planning officers.

Reforms introduced to Parliament yesterday as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would transfer decision making powers on more applications to planning officers under a 鈥渘ational scheme of delegation鈥�.

Housing secretary Angela Rayner has previously pledged to allow planning officers to approve applications without permission from committees of councillors if they comply with local plans and the National Planning Policy Framework.

The legislation would also ban 鈥渓arge and unwieldy鈥� planning committees, requiring mandatory training for councillors and setting limits on the number of members to 鈥渆nsure good debate is encouraged鈥�.

The proposals, which aim to speed up planning decisions and prevent schemes being delayed by political motivations, have been widely welcomed by housebuilders and developers.

But the LGA, which represents more than 300 councils across England and Wales, suggested the reforms could harm local democracy.

Adam Hug, LGA housing and planning spokesperson, said: 鈥淭here remains concerns around how [the Bill] will ensure that councils 鈥� who know their areas best and what they need 鈥� remain at the heart of the planning process. 

鈥淭he democratic role of councillors in decision-making is the backbone of the English planning system, and this should not be diminished. Councils approve nine out of ten planning applications that come before them.鈥�

Yesterday, the County Councils Network (CCN) also voiced concerns over the what it described as 鈥渆fforts to dilute and bypass鈥� the role of councillors on planning, particularly in rural areas where small developments could have a larger impact.

鈥淏y only allowing councillors to debate and discuss only the proposals that the government defines as a large development, this will erode local people鈥檚 voice within the planning system,鈥� said CCN housing and planning spokesperson Richard Clewer.

鈥淚t will also take away the discretion that can be used by planning committees to resolve small applications that come down to very nuanced decisions.鈥� 

And Stuart Evans, partner and head of planning at law firm Anthony Collins, said the changes could make it harder for local communities to challenge large schemes in their area.

鈥淲hile a welcome change for developers, we still have reservations in relation to the proposed National Scheme of Delegation,鈥� Evans said. 

鈥淭he National Scheme of Delegation will reduce opportunities for public consultation and engagement in the planning process, risking the sidelining of local concerns in favour of national priorities. This potentially will make it harder for local communities to challenge major development projects.鈥�

Other changes proposed in the Bill include reducing the number of opportunities for nationally significant infrastructure projects to be challenged in the courts from three to one, and streamlining the process for compulsory purchases to ensure compensation paid to landowners is 鈥渘ot excessive鈥�.