Last month, I proudly announced the launch of the RTPI’s new public awareness campaign focused on raising awareness around the work of planners and why it matters. But beyond the launch, there is a deeper question we must all confront: why should the public care about planning?
The answer is simple, yet profound: because planning decisions shape the places we live, the communities we build, and the future of our towns and cities. Yet, many people feel they don’t have a say in those decisions. Worse still, many simply don’t know how to get involved.
That’s a problem we can’t afford to ignore, especially when research shows that communities are far more open to development than is commonly assumed, provided they are engaged early and meaningfully.
Recent findings from the RTPI and Demos paint a strikingly different picture from the usual headlines about “NIMBYs” blocking progress. The report, The MIMBY Majority, reveals a quieter but significant cohort, people who are not just “Not In My Back Yard”, but “Maybe In My Back Yard”. This majority, the research argues, would support local housing developments if they were given a proper voice in the planning process.
The assumption that the general public is opposed to new housing is out of touch with the reality on the ground. In fact, with authentic communication and early engagement, many people are prepared to back new housing in their communities. These aren’t anti-development voices, they’re unheard ones.
This mirrors what we hear from our members: planners want to work with communities, not around them. But they need the time, resources, and political backing to do so properly.
The same RTPI-Demos research found that only 12% of people feel they have a say in the outcome of planning decisions. That’s staggeringly low. It is no wonder mistrust lingers. Ipsos polling also shows similar trends: people tend to overestimate local opposition to housebuilding and underestimate local support.
According to Ipsos, 46% of Britons support building more homes locally, compared to just 25% who oppose it and 61% of the public prioritise the views of local councils and residents over the speed and volume of construction.
In other words, the public is not inherently hostile to new housing they just want to be part of the conversation. Yet most don’t understand the system well enough to know how or when to engage. That’s where our campaign comes in.
This campaign sets out a bold aim: to demystify planning, to humanise planners, and to show people how and when to make their voices count. Whether it is shaping a neighbourhood scheme or exploring planning as a career, we want more people to see themselves in this story.
This is not a PR exercise. It is a necessary reset.
As we build a growing body of research, including public and member surveys, to better understand how people currently view planning and how that shifts over time. That evidence base will guide our effort and track our impact. But this cannot just be about top-down messaging. We need local stories, examples of real meaningful engagement that shifted outcomes for the better.
If you have an example of excellent public engagement, where the public were truly brought in not just consulted, but heard, we want to know. Email us at [email protected] Your experience could inspire others.
Because ultimately, planning does not just need public understanding. It needs public trust. And trust starts with a conversation.
So here is the question I will leave you with: what would your community look like if planning were truly a shared endeavour?
