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Change is constant: A Strategic Communications perspective on NPPF revisions

Amongst a series of changes and additions, the most striking is the potential introduction, for the first time in England, of engagement and the lack thereof as a material consideration in determining applications

Stop all the clocks...

… but the reality is that change is constant and the new consultation draft of the NPPF, whilst introducing important new emphasis on early pre-application engagement, is more about evolution than revolution. 

Amongst a series of changes and additions, the most striking is the potential introduction, for the first time in England, of engagement and the lack thereof as a material consideration in determining applications; “applications that can demonstrate early, proactive and effective engagement with the community should be looked on more favourably than those that cannot” (para 60).

Now many will tell you this is all about doing more. Turley Strategic Communications believes this is about being clever. The wording, focusing on the effectiveness and timing of the engagement rather than on a specific process or amount, means a well thought through strategic approach is going to be more valuable than a standard process applied again and again.

The Strategic Communications team is already agile; we navigate the most challenging regulatory and political landscapes to enable support for your development proposals. Public and stakeholder engagement in the plan making and decision-making processes is already a well established principle and is mainly only reinforced in the latest draft NPPF.

We have been successfully advising our clients for the past decade on early, proportionate and meaningful engagement with community, political and media stakeholders across the development world. We see the new emphasis as business as usual, but with a new focus. 

Contact the Strategic Communications team to start the discussion.

Further Turley commentary on the draft revised NPPF is available here.

12 March 2018

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