How to Build an Effective Public Consultation Strategy
An effective public consultation strategy provides a clear framework for engaging communities, stakeholders and other interested parties throughout the development process.
For property developers, public consultation should not begin with a leaflet, exhibition or online questionnaire. It should begin with a clear understanding of what the engagement needs to achieve, who needs to be involved and how feedback will be gathered and considered.
A well-planned strategy can help development teams communicate proposals clearly, identify concerns early and build constructive relationships with local communities.
For larger or more complex developments, a strategic approach is particularly important. Multiple stakeholder groups may have different priorities, while the development itself may involve planning, transport, environmental, design and infrastructure considerations.
What Is a Public Consultation Strategy?
A public consultation strategy sets out how a development team will engage with communities and stakeholders about a proposed development.
It should establish the purpose of the consultation, identify relevant audiences, determine the most suitable engagement methods and explain how feedback will be collected, analysed and addressed.
The strategy should also consider how consultation fits into the wider planning and development programme.
Rather than treating engagement as a standalone activity, developers should consider how consultation connects with:
• Planning
• Stakeholder engagement
• Political engagement
• Community relations
• Public relations
• Digital communications
• Project communications
• Consultation reporting
This integrated approach can help ensure that different parts of the development team are working towards the same objectives.
Start With Clear Consultation Objectives
Before deciding how to consult, establish what you want the consultation to achieve.
Objectives could include:
• Introducing a proposed development
• Explaining the need for the project
• Understanding local concerns
• Gathering views on emerging proposals
• Identifying potential issues
• Communicating community benefits
• Building stakeholder relationships
• Testing key messages
• Informing aspects of the development
• Demonstrating meaningful engagement
• Objectives should be realistic.
Public consultation cannot guarantee support for a proposal, nor can every suggestion necessarily be incorporated.
Instead, the objective should be to create a meaningful opportunity for people to understand the development and provide feedback that can be properly considered.
Identify Your Stakeholders
Stakeholder mapping is one of the most important elements of a public consultation strategy.
Different developments will involve different audiences, but stakeholders could include:
• Local residents
• Neighbouring communities
• Residents' associations
• Community groups
• Local businesses
• Local councillors
• Parish councils
• MPs
• Local authorities
• Schools
• Sports organisations
• Environmental groups
• Transport organisations
• Local media
Stakeholders should not necessarily be treated as one audience. Their interests, influence and likely concerns can vary significantly.
A resident living next to a development may have different priorities from a local councillor or business organisation.
Understanding these differences can help developers determine the most appropriate ways to engage each audience.
Define Your Key Messages
Once the stakeholders and objectives have been established, determine what people need to know about the development.
Key messages should explain the proposal clearly and accurately.
Depending on the project, this could include:
• What is being proposed
• Why the site has been selected
• What the development will provide
• How the proposal has been designed
• Potential benefits
• Transport and access arrangements
• Environmental considerations
• Infrastructure
• Community facilities
• Employment opportunities
• Next steps
Messages should be consistent across consultation materials. However, consistency does not mean every stakeholder needs to receive exactly the same information.
Different audiences may require different levels of detail or have different questions.
Choose the Right Consultation Methods
There are many ways to conduct public consultation. The most appropriate methods will depend on the development and the people you need to reach.
Public exhibitions
Public exhibitions allow people to view plans, speak with members of the project team and ask questions directly.
Consultation websites
A dedicated consultation website can provide information about the proposal and give people access to plans, documents and feedback forms.
Online questionnaires
Online surveys can make it easier for people to submit structured feedback.
Community meetings
Meetings can provide opportunities for more detailed discussion, particularly where a development is likely to attract significant interest.
Stakeholder briefings
Direct briefings can be useful for councillors, community representatives, businesses and other key stakeholders.
Printed communications
Leaflets, letters and posters can help reach audiences who may not engage through digital channels. In many cases, the strongest strategy combines several methods.
Make Consultation Accessible
A consultation is only effective if people can understand the information and have a reasonable opportunity to participate.
Technical planning documents may be necessary, but they should be supported by accessible explanations.
Visual materials can be particularly useful for explaining:
• Site layouts
• Building locations
• Access arrangements
• Landscaping
• Development heights
• Movement routes
• Key design principles
The consultation should also provide clear instructions explaining how people can submit their feedback and when responses need to be received.
Plan for Difficult Questions
A good consultation strategy should anticipate questions rather than waiting for them to appear at an exhibition or in online feedback.
The project team should consider the issues most likely to concern the community.
Depending on the proposal, these might include:
• Traffic
• Parking
• Construction
• Noise
• Ecology
• Flooding
• Green space
• Building heights
• Housing
• Infrastructure
• Local services
• Property values
Technical specialists and planning consultants can help ensure that responses are accurate.
The communications team can then make those explanations accessible to the wider public.
Establish a Feedback Process
Feedback should not simply arrive in different inboxes and spreadsheets without a consistent process.
Before consultation begins, establish how responses will be collected, categorised and analysed.
This can include recording:
• The source of the response
• The stakeholder group
• The main issues raised
• Supporting comments
• Positive feedback
• Requests for further information
• Suggested changes
Grouping responses into themes can make it easier to identify recurring issues.
This information can then inform discussions within the wider development team.
Decide How Feedback Will Be Used
A consultation strategy should establish how feedback will be considered.
This is important because people need to understand that their participation has been taken seriously.
Where feedback results in changes, those changes should be recorded.
Where suggestions cannot be incorporated, the development team should be able to explain the reasons where appropriate.
This creates a more transparent process and provides useful evidence for the consultation report.
Build a Consultation Timetable
The consultation timetable should be aligned with the wider planning programme.
It should allow time for:
• Stakeholder research
• Preparation of consultation materials
• Initial stakeholder engagement
• Public consultation
• Feedback collection
• Feedback analysis
• Internal review
• Potential design changes
• Consultation reporting
• Planning application preparation
Leaving consultation until the last possible moment can create unnecessary pressure.
A clear timetable gives the development team more opportunity to respond to issues appropriately.
Measure the Consultation
Measuring consultation is about more than counting how many people attended an exhibition.
Useful measures can include:
• Number of people reached
• Number of website visits
• Number of consultation responses
• Attendance at events
• Stakeholder meetings
• Key themes identified
• Questions received
• Changes made following feedback
Qualitative feedback is also important. A small number of detailed responses from influential or directly affected stakeholders may provide more useful insight than a large number of simple responses.
Document the Process
The consultation strategy should lead into a clear record of what happened.
A consultation report can document the engagement undertaken, the audiences reached, the feedback received and how the development team responded.
This creates an important record of the consultation process and can support the wider planning strategy.
Public Consultation Strategy for Midlands Developments
For a development in the Midlands, a consultation strategy should reflect the specific local context.
A project in Birmingham or the wider West Midlands may require a different approach from one in a smaller town or rural location.
Local stakeholder relationships, previous development activity, political considerations and community concerns can all influence the engagement strategy.Working with a public consultation company in the Midlands can provide access to specialist property communications experience alongside an understanding of local audiences.
Gough Property Communications supports property and development clients with public consultation services, including consultation strategy, stakeholder mapping, community engagement, consultation events, communications and reporting.
When Should You Bring in a Public Consultation Company?
Specialist support can be useful from the earliest stages of a development.
A consultation company can help developers assess the local environment, map stakeholders, establish objectives and create an engagement programme before public consultation begins.
It can also support the practical delivery of consultation, including events, digital engagement, communications, feedback analysis and reporting.
For larger or more sensitive developments, bringing specialist expertise into the process early can help ensure consultation is properly integrated with the wider planning and communications strategy.
Build Your Public Consultation Strategy Early
An effective public consultation strategy starts well before the first public exhibition.
By establishing clear objectives, understanding the local community, mapping stakeholders, developing consistent messages and choosing appropriate engagement methods, developers can create a more structured and meaningful consultation process.
If you are planning a development and need help creating a public consultation strategy, Gough Property Communications can support you from initial planning through to consultation delivery and reporting.
Explore our public consultation services or contact Gough Property Communications to discuss your project.
Understand the Local Context
A consultation strategy should be based on the area in which the development is located.
Before engagement begins, developers should consider the local community, previous development activity, existing concerns and the wider planning environment.
This can help identify potential sensitivities before they become issues during consultation.
For developments in the Midlands, this local understanding can be particularly important.
The region contains major cities, towns, suburban communities and rural areas, each with different development pressures and stakeholder relationships.
A public consultation company in the Midlands should therefore be able to adapt its approach to the specific location rather than applying the same strategy to every project.