Consultation websites
A consultation website gives your proposals a clear public home, where people can find out what is planned, read the documents and tell you what they think. ConsultOnline provides branded consultation websites with the tools to collect and report on feedback.
What it is
What is a consultation website?
A consultation website is a website for a proposal the public is being asked to comment on, such as a new development, a regeneration scheme, a neighbourhood plan or an infrastructure project. It brings the information about the proposal together in one place and gives people a straightforward way to respond.
It does not have to replace exhibitions, letters or public meetings. It works alongside them as the central place for information, updates, registration and feedback, so people who cannot attend an event can still find out about the proposals and take part.
What to include
What a consultation website should include
The detail depends on the project, but most consultation websites need:
How ConsultOnline provides one
Your consultation website with ConsultOnline
The website can stay in use after the consultation closes, for planning application updates or community liaison during construction.
Choose your website
Choose a branded microsite with an established consultation structure, or a dedicated project website with more control over design, pages and navigation.
Add your content and tools
Add your proposals and documents, then the participation tools included in your package, such as surveys, polls, interactive maps and a virtual exhibition.
Share, follow and report
Share the website through letters, email, social media and QR codes. Follow responses on the dashboard, then export reports and data for your consultation report.
Find out more
Features
Every consultation tool, from surveys and maps to analytics and reports.
Branded websites
Compare a branded microsite with a dedicated project website.
How it works
How a consultation is set up, run and reported, step by step.
Packages
Essential, Enhanced and Bespoke, each client-managed or ConsultOnline-managed.
FAQ
Common questions about consultation websites
Usually, yes. Each project gets its own consultation website with its own branding, content and feedback tools, so people find everything about one proposal in one place. Your team manages all its projects from one dashboard.
Custom-domain and ConsultOnline subdomain options depend on the package and configuration. A custom domain can be used with a branded microsite as well as with a dedicated project website.
You choose. Essential, Enhanced and Bespoke are each available as client-managed, where your team runs the website through a secure admin area or ConsultOnline-managed, where we provide the agreed support. For Essential, ConsultOnline-managed delivery covers initial site set-up.
It does not have to disappear. Previous consultation material can be archived but still accessed, and the same site can become a planning application information hub or a community liaison channel during construction.
Yes. Consultation websites use responsive layouts for common phone, tablet, laptop and desktop screen sizes. Review your pages, images and documents on representative devices before launch.
Book a demo or contact us. We will talk through your project and recommend the website format and package that fit it.
Planning a consultation?
Book a demo to see a consultation website and talk through what your project needs.