Cotswold District Council has successfully piloted a digital consultation hub to improve participation, accessibility and efficiency in its local plan consultation process. Delivered as a PropTech Innovation Fund pilot, the project tested how digital planning consultation tools could support clearer communication and broader community engagement during a partial local plan update focused on carbon reduction.
The council faced a familiar digital construction and planning challenge: presenting large volumes of technical planning policy information in a way that residents could understand, navigate and respond to meaningfully. Existing consultation systems were costly to maintain, time-consuming for officers and limited in their ability to reach under-represented groups. Cotswold District Council therefore sought a modern digital community engagement platform that could simplify the consultation process while reducing internal processing time.
Working collaboratively across planning, communications and digital teams, and supported by an external supplier, the council created a single online consultation hub. This platform brought together consultation documents, interactive maps and video content in one location, allowing residents to explore proposals and submit responses in multiple ways.
To improve usability and accessibility, the consultation was structured into 18 themed topics, each supported by a one-page plain-English summary. Short explanatory videos and an animation were produced to outline development scenarios, while interactive mapping tools enabled residents to comment directly on individual sites. Recognising the importance of inclusion, materials were also made available in council offices and libraries, and a simplified question set was developed for younger residents.
Critical role
Real-time demographic data played a critical role. The team monitored participation levels throughout the consultation and adjusted promotion activity to target under-represented groups. Engagement was further supported through a district-wide postcard mailout, posters, social media advertising, public events and email updates. The consultation hub itself was refined while live, including the addition of a dedicated area for town and parish councils following early feedback.
The results demonstrated clear benefits. The consultation attracted 755 respondents who submitted more than 2,900 representations. Digital submissions accounted for 81% of responses, compared with 28% previously, while officer time spent inputting and categorising responses fell by 40%. The local plan mailing list grew by 29%, and the council gained significantly improved insight into who was engaging and where gaps remained.
Cotswold District Council noted that digital tools alone are not sufficient. As the council stated: “The software isn’t a silver bullet, it is vital that we also adapt and evolve our internal consultation and engagement practices to get the most value from these new tools.”
Key lessons included the value of concise summaries for complex planning topics, the need to consider mobile access early, and the additional time required to prepare accessible digital content. While engagement improved overall, younger residents remained under-represented, highlighting an ongoing challenge.
Looking ahead, the council plans to continue using digital consultation platforms across future local plan stages and other services, refining consultation structures, expanding interactive spatial mapping and further improving digital engagement practices.
Cotswold District Council’s pilot shows digital consultation hubs can deliver measurable planning engagement improvements when combined with clear content, cross-team collaboration and evolving consultation practices across the digital construction and planning sector.
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