The impact and importance of public consultation and political lobbying is often overlooked by developers and householder applicants alike. It can be incredibly frustrating when a planning application is vociferously objected to by the noisy minority – at Plainview Planning we always aim to encourage the silent majority to support your application, and minimise any objections from the outset.
Public consultation can take its form in many different ways. It can be via a public exhibition at a local venue, it can be via a simple letter drop or through the increasingly popular social media avenue such as Facebook campaigns or Twitter petitions. All serve a similar purpose and that is to make sure that members of the public feel involved in the scheme and to show that you, as the applicant, are taking their views into consideration.
Political lobbying is a tool not often used to it is full potential – having the support of local ward Councillors and MP’s can be the difference between receiving a planning permission or refusal. Politicians and Councillors are there to serve their constituents, this works both in terms of objecting and supporting an application.
Here at Plainview Planning we utilise these angles to their full potential and try to involve members of the public, Councillors and MP’s from the outset. Our public relation experts have worked with some of the biggest retailers in the UK on some of the most controversial schemes with great success.
If this sounds like an area that your planning application could benefit, please give our public relations team an email on pr@plainview.co.uk or alternatively call one of our office numbers.