Changes to the procedure around planning applications — and which of them are put before councillors for decisions — are due to come into effect at the end of next month, after the Labour government altered national policies.

And Stuart Clancy, a long-serving councillor, said: "I send this warning to Norfolk. This is a massive retrograde step. Everybody has a democratic responsibility in this chamber to fight this diktat from Whitehall."

The new regulations bring in a two-tier system which divides planning applications into two schedules.

Those in schedule one, such as home extensions and proposals for between one and nine new homes, on a site smaller than 1.2 acres, will always be delegated to officers for decisions.

New regulations mean fewer planning applications will come before Norfolk councillors (Image: Chris Bishop)

The overriding presumption is that others — in schedule two — will be referred to committees only if they pass a 'gateway test' agreed by a nominated officer and nominated member.

The gateway test would apply if the officer and member agree the applications raise "one or more issues of economic, social........

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