ConsultOnline blog
Ideas for better planning consultation
Insights on public consultation, community engagement and planning communications.
Live drop-in Q&A: an online public meeting
Live drop-in sessions let residents ask and vote on questions on the project website while the team answers during the session. Every question and answer stays on the site afterwards.
One website from consultation to construction
A project website no longer has to go quiet when the consultation closes. It can follow the scheme through the planning application and into construction, keeping residents informed at each stage.
Showing that responses come from genuine local residents
Personal registration codes on letters, verified local voices and grouping of near-identical responses help you show who has taken part, without asking residents for anything extra.
Rewarding residents for taking part
Points and badges give residents a simple record of how they have contributed to a consultation and a gentle reason to come back as the proposals develop.
One page for every way to take part
A consultation website can offer surveys, maps, ideas and drop-in sessions. The Take part page brings them together, so residents can see their options and choose one that suits them.
Virtual public exhibitions for planning: how to replace the village hall
Public exhibitions are a staple of planning consultation, but they are expensive, time-limited and exclude anyone who cannot attend. Virtual exhibitions offer a better alternative \u2014 here is how they work and why they produce better engagement.
Online public consultation: a complete guide for UK planning teams
A practical guide to running online public consultations for planning applications in the UK \u2014 covering platform options, engagement strategies, legal considerations and how to produce consultation evidence that planning authorities take seriously.
What makes a strong Statement of Community Involvement? A practical guide
A Statement of Community Involvement can make or break a planning application. Here is what planning authorities are looking for, common mistakes that weaken your SCI and how digital consultation tools can help you produce stronger evidence of genuine engagement.
Introducing ConsultOnline 2.0: why we rebuilt our consultation platform from scratch
After more than a decade of the original ConsultOnline, we made the decision to start again from the ground up. Here is why we rebuilt the platform, what is new in 2.0 and how it changes what is possible for planning consultation.