Community objections | Types of Crisis

Objections by the local community

If your business has plans afoot that will impact the local community – for instance, if you are a property developer applying for planning permission – then it is essential you are prepared to handle any resistance empathetically and efficiently.

Although most property developers understand the importance of having the local community on board from the outset in order to minimise the spectre of objections, all too many fall into the trap of ploughing on regardless, believing their proposals will be greeted with open arms.

This isn’t always the case and a vocal community campaign can scupper the best-laid plans before they’ve even got off the ground.

We can help you avoid such a scenario by creating and implementing community engagement campaigns in advance. These might include organising public consultations, holding press briefings and launching competitions aimed at engaging local people.

If you’ve failed to do any of this and are now facing resistance, we can still help. It’s not rocket science but it does require thought, imagination and consideration for the people whose lives you are potentially affecting. An empathetic, conciliatory approach often reaps far better rewards.

We’ll help you consider every possible angle and factors that might draw negative reactions. Then we’ll help you prepare a robust communications strategy to ensure your scheme is not jeopardised.

With real-time media and social being more prevalent than ever before, it is important to ensure that you have processes in place to deal with any objections that come up.

We can help you deal with the issues that arise from any community objections quickly, efficiently and sympathetically to minimise the impact on your project.

My business was facing a torrent of unfair criticism on Facebook. It stemmed from one negative post by an ex-employee and escalated like wild fire. Your level-headed, practical advice helped get the negative comments removed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I thought the problem would go away if I ignored it. It didn’t. I was reluctant to use you but can honestly say, your support and advice helped pull me back from the brink. Your patience, clarity of thought and advice were just what I needed to get me through the emotional roller coaster.

Your calm and steady approach was everything I needed when my business was being unfairly criticised in the national press. You stopped me from responding in haste, which I realise now, was the worst thing I could have done! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

One of my co-directors was found guilty of drink driving. I was concerned that if it got out, we’d suffer from negative press and loss of business. As it happened, there was no backlash but being able to contact you and have some pre-prepared statements and letters ready was reassuring.