Plans to streamline the planning process to give residents a greater say in shaping their communities have been given a cautious welcome by Teignbridge Council.

On Monday, the government announced the reforms and what it described as 'the building blocks of the big society'.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: 'For far too long local people have had too little say over a planning system that has imposed bureaucratic decisions by distant officials in Whitehall and the town hall.

'We need to change things so there is more people-planning and less politician-planning, so there is more direct democracy and less bureaucracy in the system.'

Greg Clark, minister for planning and decentralisatio

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