For many years, UK planning laws have explicitly emphasised the importance of early community engagement. For most significant projects, public consultation requirements now mandate that developers submit a Statements of Community Involvement as part of their planning application. The decisions on formats and levels of community consultation will depend on the project's significance and locality.

Recent changes in UK planning policy and law emphasize the need for developers to engage with key stakeholders before submitting their planning applications, a process known as 'front-loading'. For example, the National Planning Policy Framework for England (2019) underscores the critical role of pre-application engagement:

“Early engagement has significant potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application system for all parties. Good quality pre-application discussion enables better coordination between public and private resources and improved outcomes for the community." 

The next section outlines what you need to do in different parts of the UK to fill public consultation requirements for development projects. 

Planning application public consultation requirements in the UK

The statutory public consultation requirements for planning applications are outlined in several Acts of Parliament across all UK nations (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland). These requirements generally apply to developments exceeding specific thresholds in floor space or built area.

Below is a brief summary of the varying requirements for community engagement in planning applications across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Local authorities' additional public consultation requirements

In most cases, developers should consult the development control officer at the local authority for advice on the ideal format and levels of pre-planning engagement, as well as any relevant local knowledge.

English local authorities produce detailed Statements of Community Involvement (SCI). These statements primarily focus on the councils own engagement process, but can also outline expectations for planning application consultations and provide guidelines on the expected levels and suggested consultation formats to be delivered by applicants.

A great example of clearer guidance on good practice was produced by Westminster City Council. Pre-application community engagement

Local authorities and community members increasingly expect developers to employ engagement methods that extend beyond traditional in-person public exhibitions. For complex developments, innovative approaches are anticipated. For example, Lancaster City Council’s Statement for Community Involvement recommends co-design workshops, which include model-making with key stakeholders to shape the planning applications for regeneration projects.

Developers are also encouraged to draw on novel digital methods of engaging. Especially for informal engagement, online engagement tools and platforms provide a quick and low-cost means to gather feedback on proposals. For example, the PlaceChangers interactive consultation tool enables any planner to generate robust consultations using interactive proposal maps in a few clicks. 

As a final note, the outcomes of community engagement should be documented in an engagement report submitted with the planning application. Here are six tips for preparing robust community engagement reports for planning applications.