Planning

Quite simply, our surveys are used to inform the planning process, throughout the UK. How people feel about their homes, their businesses, the local community, where they shop and spend their leisure time.

Simple, accurate pedestrian counts, public opinion on housing, retail, leisure or transport developments – our Planning primary research team provide robust evidence for strategic planning initiatives.

The evidence we gather, is accurate, timely, insightful, and dependable. It stands up to scrutiny (including Public Inquiries, Secretary of State call ins, etc), it is regularly updated and constantly evolves to capture the constant but sometimes subtle changes in the planning environment, be that the growth of online shopping, changing uses of our town and city centres, the incidence of linked trips whilst out shopping.

Our survey data underpins Local Planning Authorities’ Local Plans from the Orkneys to Jersey but not just at a local authority level, it extends into sub-regional studies covering multiple local authorities. It is also used to help secure planning permission for change of use, consent for new store developments as well for new retail parks, designer outlet centres and other developments as well as extensions / additions to existing facilities.

Range of Sectors
However, we are not just concerned with retail. Our experience extends into commercial leisure facilities be it snowdomes, multiplex cinemas, food and beverage offers and also the night-time economy such as pub, bars, restaurants, casinos. In fact, there’s very little of the planning environment where we can’t bring our experience and expertise to help you achieve your objectives.

By interviewing visitors to town and city centres, we are able to generate the qualitative assessments that can help local authorities develop strategies to ensure that their centre remains attractive and a desirable place for people to visit and allowing comparisons to be made with nearby / competing centres to identify what visitors like and dislike and what would make them visit more often.

We are also frequently commissioned to undertake surveys that underpin planning applications such as a new foodstore, an extension to or a relocation of an existing store, alcohol licences, housebuilding, windfarms, etc.

Unrivalled expertise
We are the UK’s research leader when it comes to household surveys. This unrivalled expertise in conducting shopper / retail studies as evidenced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government stating:

‘NEMS is a reputable company in the retail world and it is estimated that about 80% of the retail evidence base for local plans across the country is derived from surveys it carries out’.

Throughout the UK and Ireland
We conduct Planning surveys throughout the UK where we can also reach potential respondents through their mobile phone.

Recently we have expanded our service to include conducting surveys among households in the Republic of Ireland.