RTPI Best Plan in the South East, 2025 - powered by The Future Fox

We’re delighted to share that The Future Fox is part of the winning team, with Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and David Lock Associates, to have won the RTPI Best Plan in the South East 2025. This project has been recognised as a national trailblazer in the digital planning space for the Epsom Town Centre Masterplan. The judges highlighted the project’s participative approach, the innovative use of digital consultation tools, and the clear focus on sustainability.

A Collaborative Effort

The Council chose to work with The Future Fox. We utilised our digital engagement platform, PlaceBuilder, along with social media outreach for the Masterplan consultation. This approach enabled:

Inclusive, Mobile-First Participation

A total of 1,979 residents took part from across Epsom’s 14 wards. This number is roughly twice the national average and represents the council's best-performing consultation to date.

Hearing from the Seldom Heard

Interestingly, 55% of respondents stated that they had never responded to a planning consultation before. This highlights the effectiveness of our outreach efforts.

A Flexible, Visual Toolkit

We provided a toolkit of polls, mapping, and surveys. This made complex choices easy to understand for all participants.

Real-Time Insights

Our platform offered real-time insights, allowing officers to refine messages, target under-represented groups, and maintain high momentum throughout the consultation process.

"The engagement rate was fantastic, and we have tangible results. The dashboard was very useful to keep track of how things were going."

— Harry Burchill, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

Looking Ahead

As a regional winner, the Masterplan now advances to the national RTPI Awards in November. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for further success!

Explore the Full Story

To learn more about our approach, read our Epsom Town Centre Masterplan case study. Discover how The Future Fox drove record engagement and informed a winning plan.

Read the Case Study

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Epsom Town Centre Masterplan exemplifies what can be achieved through innovative digital engagement. By prioritising inclusivity and sustainability, we have set a new standard for planning consultations.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to join the conversation about digital planning and community engagement. Share your thoughts and experiences with us on social media.

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