Community Engagement for positive planning

Community consultation, engagement , involvement and stakeholder relations – whatever you call it – engaging with local people, businesses and stakeholders, prior to submitting a planning application, is now a key element in the planning process. In our experience, and this is increasingly becoming the experience of our clients, good community engagement can be a positive experience.

From mixed used schemes, to smaller residential sites, we work as part of the professional team developing and delivering consultation strategies that encourage proactive engagement with local stakeholders.

But if the idea of community engagement sends a shudder down your spine, we really should speak,  because Community Engagement for successful planning is my specialisation.

Working with the planning team – agent, consultant and architect – and approached in the right way, Community Engagement can make a positive contribution to the successful outcome of a planning application, helping to:

  • Understand what the community feels about proposed changes, what their real opposition may be.
  • Help clarify the local advantages of the proposed scheme and neutralise objections.
  • Find out who the local champions, advocates or opposition might be and work with them to improve the eventual scheme and its outcome.
  • Make appropriate changes before submitting plans, avoiding additional costs and fees.
  • Demonstrate your commitment and the support, or at least the lack of relevant opposition, to the local planning authority.

Not all Community Engagement needs to be full-on, sometimes a light approach that ‘tests the water’ can be just as effective.
If your scheme needs the full treatment; face to face discussions, online activity, data records, group workshops, community and group presentations, public exhibitions and media engagement, in short a comprehensive Statement of Community Engagement as part of the application, our team can manage the complete project.

The right approach and style of engagement can make a real contribution to a successful result, as well as saving you time and money.

Get in touch with Jenny Gee by completing the enquiry form below.