When objecting to a planning application, I have followed some good advice I got from PlanAct. They are a company specialising in supporting people and community groups that object to planning applications.[http://www.planact.co.uk]. I am now passing this on to you!
The most important part ofsuccesfully opposing a planning application is to get your locally elected representatives on board with your campaign. Developers will be spending a lot of time and money courting them. You have to do the same!
Get in touch with your elected officials. Invite them to a meeting, offer them a site visit so they can see your objections, get your supporters to contact them and remember that they will be looking for votes in the future! The more people get in touch with them, the more likely they are to support your position.
Committee Rules
It is important to first determine the rules on the planning Committee that will be deciding your future. Much of the basic strategy depends on this information. Is it a majority decision, unanimous? Can you speak at Committee? When do Members have to abstain? How can you lobby them? What can developers not do? All this information is key to ensuring you are playing within the rules and forcing the developers to do the same.
Local Development Framework
You should definitely research the Local Development Framework (LDF) and, if it’s complicated, you may want to ask a planning advisor or a lawyer to draft a memo outlining how the planning application fits into it. It may violate multiple points. If you can show the planning application violates the LDF that makes a very strong case.
The Committee
Once you have determined the basic rules of the committee, you should start to gather as much information on the committee members as possible. How large are their electorates? How geographically close are they to the planning application? How big are their majorities? What was turnout like? When are they up for re-election? What are the main issues they campaign on? Does a planning committee member have an interest in the development? This may affect their decision and by knowing you can insist they remove themselves from the decision. You need to understand the political landscape in which you will be operating.
Information Sources?
You also must understand how the planning committee get their information. What are the local media outlets? Who are the reporters and what are their deadlines? How will the campaign be covered and how does the press view the various parties? To develop a comprehensive media strategy, it is important to have as much information on the media as possible.
Research Elected Representatives?
Who are the important political players in the area? How strong are the various political parties in the area? Who are the civic and business leaders that can influence the campaign? Winning the support of a particularly influential leader in the community can often make the campaign much easier.
Why is targeting politicians important?
So, while you are spending hours and hours, days and days, months and months, thinking about, worrying about, doing something about this campaign, decision makers will give you only limited time and attention. You must not waste it. Your goal is to tie your campaign to their number 1 priority. How are they going to get re-elected at the next election?
