Case:  Retail Outlet

The planning committee of the local council has given the green light for a new out of town development.  The 2 square mile development will be built over the next 3 years by local firms and will provide a new leisure complex as well as ‘cheap’ retail outlets for traditionally city centre stores.  The local council is pleased with the deal as it guarantees many local jobs both during and after construction and will be a valued boost to the local economy when in full operation, however there is increasing anti-development protests from some of the nearby villages.

A spokesman for the council has agreed to meet with a group of the protestors to help ease the pressure which has been building over the past few weeks.

The local villagers have been outraged at the new proposal.  They cannot understand how the council could approve such a scheme - turning an area of the countryside into yet more shops.  Surely there cannot be a need for more retail units - the local city is full of them!  And as for a leisure complex, what better way to relax and get fit than a walk in the unspoilt country?

Some of the local residents who will be especially near the new site are setting up their own campaign to oppose the development, believing it will de-value their homes with the extra traffic that will constantly be passing by.  After all the village is such a peaceful place that is why many people want to live there! 

There is also much concern over the disruption to daily life in the villages due to the construction which will begin in the next few months, all three villages in the area have teamed up to support the “Destruction not Construction!” campaign.

As if this was not bad enough, there has been an even more recent group of protestations from within the city itself.  Some of the existing retailers in the city are concerned about a loss of revenue, with many people choosing to shop out of town.  The council had been implementing a series of driving and parking restrictions over the past few years in line with the environmental policy, which has already hit the city centre stores profits, surely this out of town development is going to be the final nail in their coffin.

Questions:

Assume that you have been approached by the spokesman for the local council.  He wants your advice before meeting with the protestors to try and find ways to diffuse the situation and make the development a success.  How would you answer the following questions:

1.     What are the interests of the locals who oppose the retail outlet?

2.     What negotiable issues might serve those interests?

Click to submit your answers for feedback from one of our Trainers..