Public Consultation Tool for Net Zero Planning

**挑战：**规划系统是将我们的生活和工作场所转变为零净环境的关键机制之一。因此，规划是地方当局实现环境目标和创造可持续发展场所的关键杠杆。不注重环境和社会考虑的地方规划可能导致新的开发、基础设施和土地用途的改变，从而阻碍向低碳未来的过渡。公众咨询是地方规划的重要组成部分。它有助于嵌入社会因素，最大限度地提高计划的有效性，并促进所有权、参与，最终改变行为。在日益网络化的世界中，用于公众咨询的数字工具有可能提供更多的可及性和便利性。然而，现有的工具并不全面，不适合更大的计划。它们没有针对可用性、理解性、个人连接或可访问性标准进行优化。用户需要从零碎的来源吸收信息，这可能导致混乱，减少参与和不准确的反应。**我们的项目：**我们的项目旨在重新在地方规划中进行公众咨询，以确保人们接受并最大限度地实现净零排放。我们的目标是建立一种新的公众咨询和参与工具，将公众需求深入而有意义地融入当地规划过程，从而支持零净地方的发展。我们将直接与公众合作，了解他们希望如何接收有关环境和气候变化的信息，以及我们如何优化工具中的反馈机制。这将使最终的地方计划通过解决真正的公民需求，在改变当地环境方面具有更大的潜力。

**CHALLENGE:**The planning system is one of the key mechanisms to transform where we live and work into net-zero places. Planning is therefore a key lever for Local Authorities to meet environmental targets and create sustainable places. Local plans without a focus on environmental and social considerations can result in decisions that cause new development, infrastructure and land use changes to prevent a transition to a low-carbon future.Public consultation is a vital component of local planning. It helps to embed social considerations maximising the effectiveness of the plans, and also fosters ownership, participation, and ultimately behaviour change. In an increasingly online world, digital tools for public consultation have the potential to offer increased accessibility and convenience.However, existing tools are not comprehensive and are unsuitable for larger schemes. They have not been optimised for usability, comprehension, personal connection or accessibility standards. Users are required to absorb information from piecemeal sources which can cause confusion, reduced participation and inaccurate responses.**OUR PROJECT:**Our project aims to re-invent public consultation in local planning to ensure buy-in for and maximise pace of net-zero delivery. We aim to build a new public consultation and engagement tool that deeply and meaningfully embeds public needs into local planning processes, thereby supporting the development of net-zero places. We will work directly with the public to understand how they would like to receive information about the environment and climate change and how we can optimise feedback mechanisms in the tool. This will enable resulting local plans to have greater potential for transforming the local environment by addressing true citizen need.