CONTROVERSIAL issues such as the Western Orbital Motorway near Bromsgrove could in future be settled by a vote in the House of Commons instead of an independent inspector at a public inquiry, it is claimed.

That's the fear expressed by Peter Sturgeon, from Belbroughton, spokesman for the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

He was speaking ahead of the publication, by John Prescott, of a planning white paper which he claims, will seek to abolish county councils as planning bodies and reduce the number of planning inquires.