Blogs

Thank you message to our clients in local planning teams

Celebrating World Town Planning Day 2024

Today, planners across the globe celebrate the 75th anniversary of World Town Planning Day. We’d like to mark the day by sharing appreciation for our loyal clients within local planning teams throughout the UK.

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Fri, 08/11/2024 - 10:11

Image of a consultation comment function enabling user to support or object on policy

How to increase online participation in Local Plan consultations

By employing a mix of these strategies, you'll increase awareness, make the process more accessible, and encourage a wider range of people to participate in the Local Plan consultation.

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Fri, 20/09/2024 - 11:46

Image of a call for sites consultation map

How to encourage more Call for Sites submissions to meet housing demand

Encouraging more site submissions to meet the increase in housing demand is crucial for local planning authorities to meet newly proposed central government targets and ensure adequate housing supply. In this article we share several strategies to enhance site submissions...

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Thu, 22/08/2024 - 11:49

Image of Greater Norwich Local Plan website

Dedicated Website hailed a success for the Greater Norwich Local Plan

The Greater Norwich authorities successfully improved the user experience with the new dedicated Local Plan website integrated with OpusConsult, and it ultimately supported the in-depth process which led to the Greater Norwich Local Plan being adopted.

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Mon, 12/08/2024 - 13:53

20 Benefits of the Opus system to Local Planning Authorities

Are you a planner feeling immense pressure to deliver in these very challenging times? If so, you’re not alone! The commitment to 1.5M new homes is arguably the most ambitious announcement from the new Government...

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Mon, 05/08/2024 - 11:24

How interactive maps within local plan documents can transform community engagement

Embedding an interactive map within a digitalised Local Plan document can provide numerous benefits, particularly in the context of urban planning and public engagement. Here are some compelling reasons to do so:

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Tue, 30/07/2024 - 10:38

The impact of planning reform on planning policy teams

The new UK Government appointed in July 2024 has announced their intention to overhaul planning rules.

Planning reform can have a profound impact on planning policy teams, affecting various aspects of their operations and responsibilities. Here are some of the key impacts:

Submitted by Cath Patterson on Mon, 08/07/2024 - 10:49

Photo with professional at desk with headache