Yesterday the government announced radical expansion of permitted development rights in the planning system.

New permitted development rights allow commercial and office buildings to be converted into housing without needing planning permission.

This means local councils and local people will no longer have a say in these decisions. Developers will no longer need to obtain planning permission from local councils.

Planning processes were originally brought in by central government to ensure that local people could have their say and lodge their objections. Effectively this has been taken away at a stroke.

Shadow cabinet member for planning Allan Hepple said: “There has been a long held right for local people, in whose community these developments take place, to voice their objections through the planning committees of local councils.

“The government has driven a coach and horses through these rights, no longer will local people have a say. It is an attack on democracy.

“Developers are required under current planning arrangements to provide some affordable homes in new developments. This will no longer be the case here.

“It also means these new homes will not be subject to planning conditions, resulting in poorer quality homes and fewer affordable homes.

“The people in Blyth have already seen the consequences of this with the conversion of Pal Joeys.”