Why get involved in any consultation on Development Plans?

As Local or Area wide Development Plans set the context within which new development can happen, it is important that everyone affected (and I am sure that we all will be in one way or another) has an opportunity to input It is also important that the Local Authority provides plenty of opportunity for people to make their views known and to get involved; therefore that everyone who wants to have an input into the preparation of the Local or Area Development Plans has the opportunity to do so.