MOST Londoners oppose plans to give the Mayor of London extra powers to decide planning applications across the capital, according to a survey for the Association of London Government.

The survey, run by GfK NOP, found that 54 per cent of people were against the move.

Only 27 per cent supported the proposal.

Asked who should be mainly responsible for planning in their area, 75 per cent of Londoners named their local council.

Under the proposals published by the Government in July, Ken Livingstone would be able to over-rule any council's wishes.

The ALG said that would effectively deprive local communities of their ability to influence what gets built in their neighbourhoods.

The survey found that Londoners believe that local councils listen to them more than the Mayor does, and keep them better informed of the services they provide.

And 68 per cent of them believe their council should be given more powers to decide whether planning permission should be granted.

Only 23 per cent of residents believed that there should be no change to the planning system.

ALG chairman Cllr Merrick Cockell said: "This is a clear message from Londoners to the Government: they want their council, and not the Mayor, to have control over planning projects in their neighbourhoods.

"Londoners feel that the Mayor does not take their views into account when making big decisions, but they know that their local council does.

"They want the decisions affecting their communities to be taken from within their communities.

"We think the Government should listen to what Londoners want.

"They prefer the way their council works to the way the Mayor works.

"They do not want the Mayor of London's powers increased because they trust their local council to make the big decisions affecting their neighbourhoods, and they want to see them granted more powers to do just that."