Worried Norfolk councillors fear they are "losing control of planning" after government changes which will mean elected members get fewer chances to decide on planning applications.
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.
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 or environmental significance to the local area" or where the application "raises a significant planning matter having regard to the development plan and any other material considerations".
The government says what constitutes "significant" will vary depending on the local area, but could include applications for planning permission for large residential developments, applications to change uses of community shops in rural areas and applications for planning permission to "notable listed buildings in a town centre".
The changes also take away councillors' ability to "call in" applications or for them to be referred to committees if a certain number of objections are reached.
The matter was discussed at Norfolk County Council's recent full council meeting, where councillors reluctantly agreed to change its constitution to reflect the imposed changes.
While the county council does not make decisions over housing, which are handled by district councils, it does consider applications for schemes such as schools, recycling centres and quarries.
Conservative Mr Clancy, who represents Taverham at County Hall and Taverham South on Broadland District Council, said: "What is effectively happening here is the democratic process is being usurped.
"Instead of actually putting the power, control and authority in those of us who our residents and our communities have confidence with — ie at the ballot box — and who are accountable, the accountability is actually going to the unaccountable.
"And as a result of this, in reality, we in this chamber, in every other chamber across Norfolk, are actually losing control of the planning process."
Alexandra Kemp, independent councillor for King's Lynn South and Clenchwarton, said: "I do think these changes are deplorable. They take away the local member rights to decide issues of democratic importance representing our residents."
Robin Hunter-Clarke, deputy leader at Reform-led County Hall, agreed the changes were "regrettable".
When the changes were initially announced, a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "We are modernising planning committees to improve their efficiency and to ensure planning applicants and local authorities have the clarity they need to get on and deliver the homes this country desperately needs."
Labour was elected into government on a manifesto promise to build 1.5 million homes during the current Parliament, which is due to end in 2029.
The new regulations, which come into effect from October 31, apply to all councils in Norfolk, but not to the Broads Authority.
There is already frustration in Norfolk that decisions on some major schemes — such as the Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme and proposals for solar farms such as East Pye in south Norfolk and The Droves between Castle Acre and Swaffham — will be made by government ministers, not locally-elected councillors.
That is because those schemes are deemed to be Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
They are being scrutinised by planning inspectors, who will make a recommendation to energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh on whether they should go ahead or not.
The secretary of state, who has the final say, can choose to accept or ignore their recommendation.
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