How to deal with a NIMBY infestation…
As planning applications are increasing, so are the infestation of poisonous NIMBY infestations. NIMBY habitats tend to be near the Green Belt and green fields but you do also get their urban cousins who live in towns and cities… largely in nice houses that they bought 30 years ago for very little and over the years the value increased vastly and they are now paper millionaires in their two-up-two-down Victorian terrace.
So, we know what they are and where you find them, but what do you do about them? Now sadly, as a developer, you are probably complicit in agitating them by either going into their habitat and surprising them (i.e. not consulting with them). Or worse, you go into their habitat and tell them that they are terribly lucky that you are going to build in their patch and invite them to the village hall to come and shout at you. All that happens is that Mr Smith (lives on the west of the site) meets Mrs Jones (who lives on the east of the site) and they meet at the drop-in you facilitated and go off to the Dog-n-Duck and form the opposition group. Well done.
So, here are a few hot tips:
Consult with the locals – have a strong positive message and get it out there! If you don’t a NIMBY will and they will set a negative agenda. They only way to counter them is to break the news yourself and highlight the benefits of development.
Get the message right – do your homework, find out what they may be concerned about (object to) and what benefits (goodies) they want for their community. Make the benefits tangible and don’t forget the one simple rule: “make every penny you spend work towards getting your consent”. It breaks my heart when developers hand over vast sums of money and get no credit for it as they didn’t tell the locals just how much they are doing… and before you know it, you are a “greedy developer who are only after profits”.
Who is your audience? – who are you trying to get on side? When you do a consultation, it is NOT the planning officers, it is the Councillors and the public. Don’t drown them in technical guff (no one lives in a “dwelling” they live in homes and flats). Also, are you talking to Mr & Mrs Jones aged 74 and 76 who doesn’t have a mortgage and are paper millionaires or are you talking to Sally Smith the single mum with three kids in a three-bedroom home with Tommy (aged 14) and Jimmy (aged 12) that shares a room and is fighting like dog and cat. She is the one who needs a bigger house and is more likely to support you.
How do you reach the YIMBYs? Because wherever there are NIMBYs, there are YIMBYs. You just need to find them!
Anyway, just call me and our team will help you!
Henry