Digital-First Community Engagement for the Delivery of National Goals

Neil Kirkland, GoCollaborate Limited in association with Steve Besford-Foster, PlanSupport

“It is clear from our work with communities across the UK that there is an increasing understanding of the need for additional housing and the role that communities can play in identifying where housing and infrastructure are best located locally.”

The Digital Task Force for Planning is working hard to join up the planning industry and bring forward digital solutions that will revolutionise planning in the UK. Clearly, in terms of the recognised societal need for housing and the government’s housing targets, this is very much needed.

With that said, even with this progress and the strengthening of the National Planning Policy Framework, a significant opportunity is waiting to be unleashed — digitally engaging local communities.

It is clear from our work with communities across the UK that there is an increasing understanding of the need for additional housing and the role that communities can play in identifying where housing and infrastructure are best located locally.

However, the disconnect between many LPAs, parish councils, and their communities is tangible. This is not a criticism of local councils; it is a call to action to bridge that gap using new and emerging digital tools. Bringing communities into the planning discussion is a game changer — it gives them buy-in and a sense of ownership over developments in their community.

There are around 10,000 parish and town councils in the UK, covering over half of the country’s physical space. Many feel they are merely observers in the planning process, with little time, education, or support. The result is often default opposition and the unfair NIMBY label. Yet, if councillors had the digital tools to understand and analyse, many could be persuaded to support the housing their communities need.

In Cornwall, the need is acute — businesses can’t find workers and young people can’t find homes. This has been building for years and will only spread as the UK population ages. Cornwall Council has been encouraging parishes to help deliver the homes required. The challenge: how to enable parishes to succeed?

The latest community engagement platforms allow parishes and towns to inform and connect with residents, helping people understand what’s possible and show support for local solutions. These platforms are part of the answer.

Old-style engagement through village hall meetings often sees a small number of voices dominating the narrative. In today’s digital world, we need to reach younger generations online to gather more representative feedback.

Alongside the work of the Digital Task Force for Planning, there is a strong case for Local Planning Authorities to be encouraged by MHCLG, perhaps through the LGA, to help town and parish councils adopt digital community engagement platforms and bring forward local schemes.

These engagement platforms can also support democratic renewal, helping towns and parishes make two-way communication with residents ‘business as usual’, engaging people in local priorities, budgets, and decision-making.

We are already talking to individuals who are eager to do this, but many are struggling to access the modest funds required to make it happen.

This challenge is particularly visible in neighbourhood development planning groups, which often rely on traditional engagement methods such as Facebook, X (Twitter), or online surveys. As a result, important place-shaping conversations remain limited.

The tools already exist to solve this challenge. If we can empower communities to build places, we will add another crucial piece to the house-building puzzle.