Attend Planning Meetings

About this tool

Planning committees are where displacement gets legitimised, decisions made in rooms most residents never enter. By the time you hear about it, the deal is done. Flip that. Show up consistently. Document what happens. Use formal objection processes. You're not there to win every vote,

How to do it

1. Find the meetings

   Check council website for planning committee schedules. Sign up for alerts about applications in your area.

2. Attend and document

   Show up. Take notes. Record who says what. Note any conflicts of interest.

3. Object formally

   Submit written objections to applications. Use planning language, impact on community character, infrastructure strain, etc.

4. Create delays

   Request additional environmental assessments, traffic studies, community consultations. Every delay is time.

Before you start

• Knowledge of local planning process
• Access to meeting schedules

Implementation guidance

Starting point

• Consistent attendance at every relevant meeting
• Systematic documentation (who, what, when, how they voted)
• Formal objection submissions for problematic applications
• Coordination with other community members for coverage
• Follow-up tracking on decisions made
• Connection to legal support for complex objections

Building on it

• Regular attendance (50%+ of meetings)
• Basic documentation kept
• At least one formal objection submitted

Advanced practice

• Sporadic attendance without documentation
• Showing up angry without strategy
• No formal objections filed

Uncoordinated presence without documentation creates an illusion of resistance while decisions proceed unchallenged. Anger without strategy confirms stereotypes about 'disruptive' community members and provides justification for excluding you from future processes.

Examples

Further resources

• How to Object to Planning Applications (UK)