PlanAct can help you to object to planning applications! Our FREE BRIEFINGS will show you how to promote your campaign to the media, governmental representatives and others who could help to build the critical mass needed to bring this important issue to public attention.

The planning process is a vital part of a democratic society. It delivers critical infrastructure such as places to live and work for our growing population, is at the forefront of tackling climate change and protects our natural and historic environment.

The latest Government figures show that 85% of planning authorities are achieving the Governments target of deciding major planning applications within a 13 week timeframe so knowing what to do and how to get results is key if you want to stop a proposed development. Although all developers are encouraged to consult the community from the outset, the time for action once a planning application has been submitted is short.

Typically resident associations and community groups lead a brave and passionate fight to oppose planning applications that affect them. However, these efforts are often in vain as planning authorities find ways of minimizing their voice either by not according the same weight to petitions, letters and concerns as to those of supporters or by accusing these groups of resisting progress and economic development. Getting your voice heard by the right people at the right time is critical to ensuring that your views are taken into consideration when deciding on planning applications.

Recommended Steps for successfully opposing any planning application:

Do Some Research

When planning a campaign, I always recommend carrying out a full stakeholder and political audit identifying members of the planning committee that will decide on the planning application, other local elected representatives and identifying potential partner organisations such as environmental and social groups.

The key to success lies in your preliminary research into the key decision makers. It is no good spending time lobbying someone who has no influence in the decision making process. Use your political and stakeholder audit to identify the members of the planning committee, your own local councillors and Member of Parliament. Take the time to identify those that will be coming up for re-election soon. These are ultimately your easiest targets as they will be keen to patter to public opinion in the hope this will help them when the time comes for re-election.

Effective research can also help you target your message. Targeting your message is important for two reasons. First, you want to conserve those precious campaign resources of time, money and people, and second, you want to develop a message that will best persuade those Committee Members you still need to vote for you.

Read our How to run a Campaign briefing guide for more information and tips

Create effective communication strategies!

Doing the research is good, but how you use it is key. Use your research to develop a clear communication strategy with a timeline for each target group. These should include the planning committee, your local elected representatives and the media.

You must talk about topics that are important to your target audience. If you talk about decreasing house values or non planning issues to the planning committee then you are wasting your time. These issues may be important to members of the public and although decision makers may be sympathetic, if its not a valid reason on which to object to a planning application then they can't take it into consideration. It important to plan what you are going to say, when and to whom.

Because your planning committee and other political representative are democratically elected to represent the views of constituents, your job is to ensure your elected representatives:

• Are informed about the issue
• Understand your position and those of other residents
• Become convinced that your position is the one they should adopt.

For more help, read our How to Lobby Guide

For additional support, Tailored Consultancy sessions are available. These intensive sessions are designed to help you engage effectively with the planning committee members and will help you boost public support for your campaign. We will show you how to create professional marketing initiatives that succeed over both the short and long-term.

During these sessions, PlanAct will teach you:

To arrange a session, email help@planact.co.uk today!