CHESHIRE West and Chester councillors will meet to consider the Government’s proposals to allow larger house extensions than at present to be built without planning permission.

The move has been triggered by the borough’s prosperity portfolio holder, Cllr Herbert Manley.

Cllr Manley raised a notice of motion at a meeting of the full council before Christmas.

Referring to the Government’s announcement, he asked the council to agree it believed ‘this change is unnecessary and dilutes the democratic control of sustainable and suitable development in our local area’.

Cllr Manley argues that ‘democratically elected and accountable councillors are best placed to make the right decisions on development’.

He believes ‘evidence shows that councils across the country have a demonstrable record of achieving the correct balance between promoting sustainable and suitable development while having proper regard for residents’ objections’.

He argues the council should write to the planning minister and the borough’s MPs ‘to highlight our concerns on this issue and also to propose that the Government uses the Growth and Infrastructure Bill to give councils the powers to set out permitted development rights locally’.

This would allow ‘local policies to boost small-scale development or facilitate change of use to stimulate growth in a way that caters to local needs and is accountable to local people’.

The council agreed the issue should go to its executive for consideration.