October 27, 2011
Eighty two percent of Councillors believe that planning consultations only capture the opinions of the 'most vocal people' and seventy five percent believe the 'silent majority' is overlooked in planning decisions, according to a survey by NLP, Com Res and Forty Shillings.
The research, which informed a business breakfast hosted by NLP on 18th October 2011, concluded that the silent majority are those who are "likely to benefit from new homes or use the facilities provided by development, but are less likely to participate in the planning process than the more vocal minority, who can object vigorously to proposals". This creates an imbalance and can distort decision making.
There is no doubt that consultation is an increasingly important part of the planning process. Approaches to engagement must therefore be structured to capture the views of a broader and more representative sample of local residents than those who typically participate in planning.
NLP Contact: Matthew Spry on 020 7837 4477 / mspry@nlpplanning.com
Click here to download the report.