Where has the benevolent Lord of the manor gone?

In times or yore it was the custom for the local Lord to build things for the benefit of the people who lived in his manor Thus it became that we were able to enjoy the benefits of running water, public halls and toilets, churches and good roads and not least of all houses to live in. The modern Lord however has employed an agent to oversee his assets that has resulted in a very hard nosed view on what will now be done the local Clinton estates (CDE) being a class example
The connection between the councils and CDE has become so strong that there looks to be little that the Councils are willing to do that will or could prevent a very aggressive agent from running riot within the District Current examples are to be found in Exmouth where the council wants an extension to the Liverton Business park to be completed (it is owned by CDE) and in return it is willing to have a very large housing development on green land in the Littleham valley because CDE say that it is the only way that they are able to pay for the Liverton extension.
Another similar plan to build in Newton Poppleford has been stalled for now due to a last minute intervention by Natural England who have backed the claims of locals and objected top the plans throwing EDDC into turmoil. CDE is very much like the Duchy estates in Cornwall where they are able to get way with so much to the detriment of the public although CDE will not get the tax relief that the Duchy gets.
The Lord is not elected so we cannot get shot of him or his agents but surely in these so called democratic days our views must add up to something more than a gnat bite!