Poll: Should the public have more say over development of their local pubs?

The public should also have a greater say in what happens to buildings, services and land in their area, said the Communities and Local Government Select Committee.

The MPs said moves to protect properties such as pubs, by making them so-called assets of community value had been popular, but half of community bids to buy such assets had not been successful.

Other community rights to build housing and amenities or reclaim land for public use had rarely been used, it was found.

Labour MP Clive Betts, who chairs the committee, said: "The opportunity to take on and run a pub, a post office or a community centre is the opportunity to make a real contribution to local life.

"But the Government's Community Rights programme currently puts too many obstacles in the way for most local people to turn this opportunity into reality.

"Giving communities more time to organise and arrange finance, making the rights less complicated to use and amending planning controls would give people the chance of a greater say in the running of prized local assets and services."

The committee cited the switch to community ownership of a pub in South London, saying it had taken a lot of dedication by a committed people even though they had backgrounds in law, planning and conservation.

The MPs suggested that a moratorium on the sale of a property such as a pub should be extended from six to nine months, and called on ministers to make people more aware of community rights generally.

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Mr Betts added: "As part of this, the Government should redirect some resources to community group umbrella organisations who could provide more face-to-face support and advice.

"We also need new forms of community engagement, particularly in areas of deprivation, so people can develop their skills in community organisation and ultimately use the existing rights themselves."