A wave of new planning regulations that will see more decisions made by unelected officials is due to come into effect at the end of this week.

From October 31, council officers will hold greater power to approve and refuse applications while councillors will lose the authority to call in applications from their own ward for debate.

Officers are professional council employees who work in specific departments like planning or transport.

Rutland county councillor and planning committee vice-chairman Kevin Corby (Ind) said he's cautious about the new rules but thinks the council needs to trust its officers.

"At the end of the day they know what they're talking about," Coun Corby told the LDRS.

"I have served on the planning committee now for nearly four years, and one thing I have learned is that you've got to be head over heart. A lot of applications come in and if you're going to object to one it's got to be done by policy.

"That being said, it has to be balanced with local democracy and letting people have their say. I've been at determination meetings where policy ends up out the window, and our decision comes down to local knowledge.

"Nearby residents may know that an area floods even if the policy book doesn't, and it's in those cases where officers need to listen."

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Under current planning protocol, potentially contentious applications are submitted to the planning committee chairman, who then decides which should be called in for debate.

After October 31, however, the application's planning officer will have to agree with the chairman's perspective for the application to be called in, according to Coun Corby. Should they disagree, the planning officer would have overriding authority.

The new regulations have been ordered to expedite planning processes, as Westminster continues​​ its drive to meet lofty housing targets.

"I understand the Government wants to get houses through because they have a shortage," Coun Corby continued. "But we have to be sensitive to the environment in which we're building.

"If you take big cities, where there are sustainable areas to build in, then the rules might work well, but in rural areas like Rutland we need to be sensitive. People need to listen to locals.

"I'm guarded about it. Right now the system might not be perfect but at least people get a say. If this is done in the right way and officers respect the chairman and other councillors then it could work. If not, then we may have conflict and we don't want that."