Popular planning
Think tank: Adam Smith Institute
Author(s): Paul Smith
November 29, 2024
This report from UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute proposes enhancing public engagement in the UK’s planning system by adopting a model inspired by fantasy football.
The Adam Smith Institute’s report, “Popular Planning” by Paul Smith, proposes enhancing public engagement in the UK’s planning system by adopting a model inspired by Fantasy Football.
Currently, the complex and opaque plan-making process discourages community involvement, leading to a lack of public confidence. Consultations often present residents with a binary choice—support or oppose proposed site mixes—without facilitating alternative suggestions, fostering confrontation.
The report suggests implementing a user-friendly online platform that displays all sites deemed suitable for development by planning officers. Residents could then select their preferred combination of sites to meet housing targets, engaging with the same trade-offs as local authorities.
This approach aims to increase public participation, ensure responses reflect community preferences, and incentivize landowners to align proposals with local interests. Notably, this strategy requires no legislative changes and seeks to bolster public trust and the quality of development outcomes.
