COLCHESTER councillors have unanimously backed plans to object to planning rule changes which they say would result in the “destruction” of the system.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick’s Planning for the Future White Paper is set to bring about huge changes to the planning system in a bid to rip up the red tape in the planing system and increase the number of homes built.

The Government’s ambition is to get Britain building 300,000 new homes a year and to reach that goal, ministers plan to scrap some existing planning regulations.

At the same time there will be a review of the housing target formula, which decides how many homes each area needs to build each year.

At a full council meeting on Wednesday night councillors backed leader Mark Cory’s motion calling on the council to object to the plans.

He is also asking the borough’s three MPs - Will Quince, Priti Patel and Sir Bernard Jenkin - to support its response which will be submitted shortly.

The motion calls for ways to strengthen the council’s position when calling for more affordable housing and implement a earlier target for net-zero carbon standards for new build housing.

Speaking at the meeting Mr Cory said: “I think most of the councillors around the chamber feel these planning reforms go too far and are wrong.

“We know development is already going ahead in many places and many applications have been passed and not been built.

“That is not a problem with the planning department or process but with the developers.”

Mr Cory told the meeting the new rules would be “detrimental” to councils and their planning departments.