Engaging the public when preparing a local plan
Draft guidance on how local planning authorities must engage with certain consultation bodies and the local community on their local plan to get a range of views on the area’s future.
Applies to England
We will review this guidance and make any necessary revisions and updates as the new system is implemented and related policy is confirmed.
For plans under the legacy plan-making system
If you are submitting your plan under the legacy system, use the create or update a local plan legacy system guidance.
The legacy system covers plans to be adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, excluding the amendments made by the LURA, and The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Good quality engagement from a diverse range of sources will provide a strong foundation for the plan. Publishing the findings on your website and on social media can also further encourage future community engagement and help build trust.
When you are preparing your local plan, you must carry out a:
- scoping consultation
- consultation on proposed local plan content and evidence
- consultation on the proposed local plan
You must then publish summaries of each of those consultations, setting out matters including:
- a summary of the feedback you received in response to the consultation
- an explanation of how you have considered the feedback from the consultation
Community engagement principles
You should have a well-defined community engagement strategy, clearly outlining the purpose, target audience and objectives. You should set out your strategy in your Project Initiation Document.
Start engagement as early as possible in the process. Be proactive and do not assume local people will know how to find and access information.
You should help local people understand the plan-making process and how their feedback has helped prepare the plan.
You should use mixed methods of engagement to gather a broad range of insights and ensure consultations are accessible for all.
Each consultation stage will be different. You should consider the following matters when creating and updating, where necessary, your community engagement strategy:
- identifying baseline demographic information
- defining your target audiences
- tailoring your engagement approaches and publicity to meet the needs and interests of your target audiences
- outlining what the consultations will cover and what falls outside of scope
Who to invite to engage with the local plan
You must invite certain bodies to make representations at each consultation. Regulation 2 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 sets out what general consultation bodies and specific consultation bodies are.
Scoping consultation invites
This consultation stage provides the local community and other key stakeholders with the opportunity to have their say at the very start of the plan-making process. You must ask for views on:
- what to include in the local plan
- how to approach future local plan engagement
- any other matters that you want to consult on
You must run your scoping consultation after you have given notice of intention to commence plan-making. This consultation should last for at least 21 days and must finish before you publish your Gateway 1 self-assessment summary. You should use the feedback from the scoping consultation to inform your community engagement strategy.
For this consultation, you must invite representations from the:
- general consultation bodies you consider appropriate
- specific consultation bodies you consider may have an interest in the preparation of the local plan
You do not have to invite anyone else, but anyone can make representations at this stage.
Proposed local plan content and evidence consultation invites
You must carry out a consultation on your proposed local plan content and evidence. You must invite representations from:
- representatives from the general consultation bodies that you consider appropriate
- the specific consultation bodies you consider may have an interest in the proposed local plan
- residents or people carrying out business in the area that you consider appropriate
- anyone who requested to be notified of this consultation
Proposed local plan consultation invites
You must carry out a consultation on your proposed local plan. You must invite representations from:
- the general consultation bodies you consider appropriate
- the specific consultation bodies you consider may have an interest in the proposed local plan
- residents or people carrying out business in the area that you consider appropriate
- anyone who requested to be notified of the consultation
Consult on the proposed plan content and evidence
When you have a draft vision and a proposed spatial strategy approach, and after you have published the summary of your scoping consultation, you must carry out a further public consultation.
You must make the following information available and invite representations on:
- a draft vision and proposed measurable outcomes
- any proposed aims and objectives
- a proposed spatial strategy approach
- a summary of the evidence you intend to gather and details of any evidence you have already gathered
- any other matters you want to consult on, which may include initial draft policies, including site allocation policies
This consultation must last for a minimum period of 6 weeks. On completion, you must publish a summary of the consultation before you can move on to Gateway 2.
Consult on the proposed local plan
After publishing the Gateway 2 observations and advice, you must carry out a public consultation on the proposed local plan. You must make available and invite representations on documents including:
- your proposed local plan
- a map of proposed local plan policies
- details of the evidence you have gathered
- a summary of the main issues raised at the previous statutory consultations and how you have addressed them
This consultation must last for a minimum period of 8 weeks. On completion, you must publish a summary of the consultation and make any updates to your plan and supporting evidence before you can move onto Gateway 3.
Spatial Development Strategy consultation
If there is a spatial development strategy (SDS) in operation in your area, then you must consult the authority or person who either published or adopted the SDS. The consultation must consider if your proposed local plan is in general conformity with it. This consultation must begin and end on the same days as your consultation on the proposed local plan.
Public examination of a local plan
A local plan must pass an ‘examination in public’ overseen by a planning inspector before it can come into force. The examination scrutinises:
- the submitted plan
- associated evidence
- any additional written submissions
Public examination invites
Public examinations are open for anyone to attend. Anyone who has opted-in to being notified of the public examination information must be provided with details of the examination. They can also take part in the examination hearings if they request to.
You must also notify any people you consider appropriate of the date, time and place of the hearing. These people will only have the right to be heard if they have made representations in relation to the plan.
If multiple people want to speak about a similar issue at the hearings, the planning inspector may ask for a spokesperson to be nominated. Alternatively, they might set aside some time to hear people’s views.
A further public consultation on the plan may take place during the examination. This should take place if the planning inspector recommends that changes are needed for the plan to be “found sound”. You need to decide if the changes are significant enough to need further consultation.
How to promote and support engagement
Using digital engagement
Using digital tools can significantly increase the number of people engaged in plan-making. They can help explain the process and encourage more local people to engage. They can also make receiving and considering feedback much easier.
Many local planning authorities (LPAs) use digital tools to promote engagement and make it more efficient and inclusive.
By using a mix of websites, consultation platforms and social media, you can reach a wider and more diverse audience. These can also help provide clear and accessible information on the benefits of planning, and gather feedback more efficiently and inclusively.
LPAs are increasingly using tools like interactive visualisations, 3D models, digital storytelling and animations to help the public understand and explore proposals.
To ensure digital engagement is inclusive, you should present information clearly, offer alternative formats, and maintain non-digital options for those with limited online access.
Robust processes for managing, analysing and summarising digital feedback are essential for maintaining transparency and trust.
The using community engagement platforms in planning consultations guide shows lessons learned from LPAs that have tested digital engagement tools through government-funded pilot programmes. Read specific digital engagement case studies.
Using in-person engagement
In-person engagement can enable more detailed discussions and reach people who cannot use other methods.
Many LPAs run workshops and public meetings to encourage participation and discussion. These may be especially useful at the early stages of plan-making, when the vision for the future of the area is being considered. Interactive displays and exhibitions can also help raise awareness and encourage engagement.
Digital engagement case studies
This section sets out some of the ways in which LPAs use digital tools successfully.
Time-saving and broader participation
Automation tools can simplify managing public consultation responses. The MHCLG Digital Planning programme saved time by connecting an M365 add-on directly to the consultation email inbox to automatically organise and categorise unread submissions. This tool is optional and free for existing Microsoft 365 licence holders, allowing each LPA to decide whether it suits their needs.
Migrating to a new consultation platform shows how to replace an outdated consultation system with a new digital platform.
A digital platform can enable people to suggest areas of improvement and potential development sites. Map-based information is particularly helpful for visualising information.
You can increase response rates and make engagement easier by using a new dedicated consultation platform.
Using social media insights to help shape consultations
The value of social media insights shows how social media monitoring tools can help to understand public opinion on topics relating to planning. Insights from such data can help shape consultation topics.
Digital tools can build interest in the vision
Using digital tools to generate interest, enthusiasm and engagement in developing a strategic vision shows how digital engagement tools were used to build interest in developing a vision.