Planning decisions on the location of up to 3.8 million new homes over the next 20 years would be removed from county councils under plans considered by the government, today's Telegraph reports.

The proposals are likely to form part of the government's green paper on planning, which is expected to be the most important reform of the planning system for 50 years.

Tony Blair is understood to be keen to speed up the planning system, citing the lengthy inquiry that preceded the Terminal Five decision last week as evidence of the need for reform. However, conservationists are concerned that the changes will mean that the public will lose its voice on how much of the countryside should face construction and which areas should remain rural.