A recent survey by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and its member magazine 'The Planner' has revealed a significant disconnect between professional planners and the public's understanding of the planning system.
- Fewer than 14% of planners believe the public understands the purpose of planning.
- 96% say social and online media contribute to misinformation about planning issues in their area, up from 86% in 2023.
- 85% feel the public views planning as a hindrance rather than a benefit.
- Six in ten believe the public neither knows when nor how to engage with the planning process.
6 in 10 believe the public neither knows when nor how to engage with the planning process
96% feel social media is fuelling misinformation about local issues
According to the survey, most planners feel the public holds deep-rooted misconceptions about planning, planners, and the wider system. This lack of public understanding undermines trust in planning decisions and weakens confidence in the plan-led system.
As recent years have shown, misinformation online can fuel campaigns that distort facts and mislead communities. This is especially damaging at the local level, where public involvement is essential to achieving fair and effective planning outcomes.
The RTPI is advocating for the inclusion of a clear, statutory statement defining the 'purpose of planning' in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. This approach was successfully implemented in the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, helping to enhance understanding and restore confidence in the planning system.
Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, said: “This low public understanding and often negative perception of planning has serious consequences for planners and the important work they do.
“We believe the time has come to embed the purpose of planning in law. A clear legal definition would not only guide the work of planners, but also serve to educate the public and other stakeholders about what planning is truly for.”
Simon Wicks, Editor of The Planner, said: “The work of planners is highly complex and multi-faceted and requires considerable time navigating between the various views of how we want to live as a society.
“There's a danger in oversimplifying this complex role that can easily lead to misrepresentation or misunderstanding, and the frustrations of planners is evident in their responses to these questions.”
Comments from anonymous respondents
- “Publicly, there is a consensus that planning hinders development and pushes the 'wrong things' through the planning system. Ultimately, you can't please everyone and those voices who are not happy will always be the loudest.”
- “Planning is blamed for all that the public perceives as bad about development. The public doesn't understand that we consult with relevant bodies such as education, health, police, highways, and perceive that planners just make decisions on a whim.”
- “Due to misconceptions fuelled mainly by local politicians and social media, the public does not understand the purpose of planning.”
- “Accusations of being in cahoots with developers are often seen online. To a much lesser extent, comments implying corruption have been seen. Many large-scale or contentious applications tend to find their way onto a local Facebook group (or equivalent).”
