MPs from across the political spectrum have backed a call to keep planning notices in local newspapers.

An Early Day Motion has warned the government that proposals to remove the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in the regional press “would make the planning process less transparent, less accountable and less democratic”.

The EDM has been backed by Conservative, Labour, DUP, Green Party and Independent MPs.

Industry leaders warned in August that government plans for councils to use digital tools to publicise local planning proposals could deprive local newspapers of a “vital” source of revenue.

The EDM states: “This House recognises that local and regional newspapers, in print and digital form, reach 40.6 million people each week across the UK; notes that they perform vital democratic functions by nurturing debate, investigating local issues and running powerful campaigns that foster community identity and hold vested interests to account.”

It further “considers that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government proposals to remove the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers would make the planning process less transparent, less accountable and less democratic; and therefore urges the government to recognise that local newspapers have the trust of the public and are best placed to distribute and publicise impartial factual details about planning applications in the form of planning notices”.

The News Media Association has written to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, pictured, to alert him to the “potentially grave problems” created by the proposals.

The NMA said: “If the government decided against retaining mandatory newspaper publication of planning notices in the reformed system, this would obstruct and diminish public alert, input and engagement in development proposals, not improve public consultation.”

“Such a decision could also weaken the viability of many local titles, to the further detriment of their local communities and loss of public oversight and democratic engagement.”