Villages could get housing development powers

However, Essendon parish councillor Margaret Titchner said the proposal was a good idea but it could cause friction in close-knit communities.

“I do foresee problems around getting people to agree on what we should be doing,” she said.

“I’m not sure how you would elect, if that’s the right word, people to be on this trust and whether there would be dissent from those people who were not on the trust.”

Crucially, local councils which currently decide planning issues would have little say beyond enforcing modern construction standards.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England has criticised the proposals, which could see building in the green belt.

The campaign group said there should be proper planning scrutiny of house building by democratically-elected councillors rather than a simple public ballot.