Press Release

‘Exhausting, Confusing and Unfair’: Residents’ Survey Raises Concerns About Local Plan Consultation.

An independent survey conducted by Protect the Green Belt Together, a local residents’ action group, documents how many people who attempted to take part in Sevenoaks District Council’s Local Plan consultation experienced difficulties that made it harder for some residents to participate fully.

The evidence survey gathered responses from around 300 residents who had engaged with, or attempted to engage with, the Regulation 18 consultation on the Sevenoaks Local Plan 2042. Sevenoaks District Council has stated that around 5,000 people and organisations responded to the consultation overall.

Protect the Green Belt Together says the survey was carried out after widespread anecdotal reports from residents that the consultation was hard to complete.

‘We were hearing repeatedly from people across the district that they were struggling to get through the consultation,’ a spokesperson for Protect the Green Belt Together said. ‘We wanted to move beyond anecdote and gather concrete evidence so we could clearly demonstrate to Sevenoaks District Council the barriers residents were facing.’

While the survey represents a self-selected group, respondents consistently described the consultation as placing a heavier burden on some residents than others, particularly those who work full time, have caring responsibilities, are less digitally confident, or have disabilities.

‘Days, Not Hours’

Many survey participants reported spending far longer than expected trying to understand the consultation materials and complete the online forms.

One resident who took part in the survey said: ‘To complete it properly would take days not hours and so meaningful feedback cannot be given.’

Another respondent commented: ‘It took a ridiculous amount of time - several days, not hours. For any working person or those with families it would have been impossible.’

Survey results indicate that length and complexity were the most frequently cited barriers to participation.

Complexity and Technical Language

Respondents repeatedly said the consultation materials were described as difficult to understand and relied heavily on technical planning language.

A survey participant said: ‘I am degree educated and in a senior professional role - and I still found this almost impossible.’

Another added: ‘As a planning professional this was intensive and difficult to respond to. For a lay person it must be impossible to understand.’

Several residents said the lack of clear, plain-English guidance left them unsure whether their responses were correct or complete.

‘I’m still not sure if I totally completed it and in the way it should have been,’ one respondent said.

Digital and Accessibility Barriers

Some residents reported technical problems with the online consultation system, including slow loading times, crashes, and difficulties saving progress.

One participant said: ‘The website kept crashing meaning it took all day to complete the survey.’

Another reported: ‘The server closed the connection and I had to keep returning over two days.’

Residents with disabilities and limited digital confidence said the consultation was described as particularly hard to navigate.

One survey respondent said: ‘I have ADHD and dyslexia and neither seemed to be considered in the design of the survey.’

Concerns About Fairness

Protect the Green Belt Together says the issue raised by the survey is not whether residents were invited to take part, but whether participation was realistically achievable for everyone.

Several respondents said they were forced to submit partial responses or abandon sections entirely due to time pressures or technical difficulties.

One resident said the process ‘felt unbalanced in favour of those with more time and technical confidence.’

Another commented: ‘It should have been easy for even the most digitally challenged person to complete. It was not.’

Council Context

Sevenoaks District Council has thanked residents for engaging with the consultation and has said all responses will now be analysed to inform the next stage of the Local Plan. The Council has also stated that the consultation included online and paper options, as well as pop-up events held across the district.

Why This Matters

Protect the Green Belt Together says the survey does not dispute that thousands of people took part in the consultation, but raises an important question about fairness and accessibility.

‘If meaningful participation requires many hours, technical knowledge and high levels of digital confidence, then some residents will inevitably struggle to take part,’ the group’s spokesperson said. ‘Future stages of the Local Plan need to be simpler, clearer and genuinely accessible so that everyone has a fair chance to have their say.’

Notes to Editors

• Evidence survey responses: 290, with permission given to quote anonymously 
• Survey conducted independently by Protect the Green Belt Together 
• Participation was voluntary and self-selecting 
• Findings reflect respondents’ experiences and perceptions 
• Full survey data and methodology are available on request

Clarification

The survey does not seek to assess whether the consultation met statutory requirements. It documents how a significant number of respondents experienced the process in practice.