Somerset councillors have warned that "anti-democratic" changes to the planning system will result in fewer affordable homes being built.

The government has launched its white paper Planning for the Future, which lays out its intended reforms to the planning system by which new homes, commercial premises and other facilities are approved by local councils.

The government is consulting on the proposals, which prime minister Boris Johnson claim would cut red tape and help solve the housing crisis through "radical reform, unlike anything we have seen since the Second World War."

But South Somerset District Council has warned the proposals will rob local people of their voice, providing housing which did not meet their needs and damaging their cherished natural landscape in the process.

Councillor Mike Hewitson put forward a motion on the government's reforms at a virtual full council meeting held on Thursday evening (October 15).

He said: "Nobody would argue that the current system is not in need of reform – but sadly, this package of measures is totally inadequate and misdiagnoses the real problems in the planning system.

"The white paper intends to silence local communities on contentious planning applications.

"This government intends to rob local people of their ability to contribute to the vast majority of planning applications.

"It is my belief that the right to be heard is vitally important for our residents across South Somerset."

Under the current system, residents of a given area can submit comments on any new planning application during a fixed consultation period, with their views being taken into account by officers and elected ward members.

Under the government's proposed changes, residents will only have a say on the content of their town or village's neighbourhood plan – which is only written once every few years.

These plans will be taken into account when making decisions, along with the council's Local Plan, but further public input on specific applications will be limited.

Instead of infrastructure contributions being negotiated locally by councils (towards the cost of new schools, roads and other facilities), developers will pay a one-size-fits-all levy at a rate set by central government.

In addition, any new development of under 50 homes will not be obliged to contain any affordable housing – a massive increase on the current threshold of ten homes.

Mr Hewitson (the Liberal Democrat councillor for the Hamdon ward, near Yeovil) said these proposals were "not acceptable, not democratic… and the exact opposite of what the current system needs".

He branded the change a "developers' charter" and accused the government of "playing fast and loose with the planet".

He also claimed the number of affordable homes that would be feasibly delivered by new developments would fall by up to 20 per cent, according to the government's own estimates.

Councillor Peter Seib (Lib Dem, Brympton) said: "It's a bit like having a self-driving car that you've programmed to brake at junctions – and then suddenly you discover you have to deal with cats, footballs and the odd small child running out into the road as well.

"The reforms are barking up totally the wrong tree – it is actually landowners and the value in land from the current planning system which is poisoning the well of housing delivery.

"We want the housing delivery in the right place, with the right controls. This is not that."

Councillor Henry Hobhouse (Lib Dem, Cary) added: "I look at what has happened with permitted development in other areas, as in the conversion of retail and office space into housing where there is no control at all.

"We have now got one-bedroom 'flats' that are smaller than a toilet, with no natural light.

"I don't trust the development industry. We have got to allow democracy to have a say on what is built and where it's built.

"If you remove those rights, you are going to end up with the destruction of all our villages."

Councillor Linda Vijeh (Conservative, Neroche) said the existing system was not delivering for local people.

She said: "As an authority we are failing to deliver housing numbers anyway.

"I can think of many examples in my area where, despite Section 106 agreements, developers have been able to wriggle out of their contributions."

The council voted in favour of the motion to formally object to the government's reforms by 37 votes to five, with two abstentions.

Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron MP – now the party's spokesman for housing, communities and local government – has also spoken out against the government's proposals.

He said: "Instead of addressing the root cause of the housing crisis, the Tories' proposals serve the interests of wealthy developers, giving them carte blanche to run roughshod over local communities' wishes.

"Liberal Democrats at every level of government will do everything in our power to ensure our voice is heard through the consultation process.

"We are also calling on the government to act now to address the housing crisis, by matching our ambition to build 100,000 social homes for rent every year."

To take part in the Planning for the Future consultation, click HERE: the government site