ABSTRACT
In 2010, I volunteered to be part of a Community Liaison Group based near my home in northern England. The group was set up by a private-sector company as part of preparing a planning application for a large municipal waste disposal and recycling facility nearby, after the company won a contract to manage the future municipal waste generated from two local authorities for the next twenty-five years. The group was described as an opportunity for local people to learn about the planning process, to have their views heard by the company and even influence the design of the eventual planning application, as well as to fulfil the company’s aim of being a ‘good neighbour’ to local residents.
