NEWS POLICY
The Saint Consulting Group pursues an active press policy: we provide news and information to different media organizations, and - when it serves the interests of our clients or our firm - we react to current events that affect land use, zoning, development, and the real estate market. In this way, Saint Consulting serves and shapes the marketplace, provides politically practical insights, and demonstrates its leadership in competitive strategy.

This page contains reliable news and links to other information about the firm's activities in the US, UK, and Europe. The most recent news releases appear at the top of the page.

June 16, 2008
NIMBYISM SOARS IN CANADA: ETHANOL PLANTS, LOCAL AREA DEVELOPMENT, TARGETS OF INCREASED OPPOSITION
According to the second annual Saint Index Canada 2008 survey, the popularity of ethanol as an alternative energy source is dropping among Canadians, as 53 percent oppose the development of a local ethanol plant, compared to 45 percent in 2007, an 18 percent increase. More interesting, disenchantment with local ethanol plant development grew most dramatically among rural Canadians — from just 36 percent opposed in 2007 to 51 percent opposition in 2008. Opposition also grew among urban (48% in 2007 to 57% this year) and suburban (43% in 2007 to 49% in 2008) residents.

[More]

March 11, 2008
ANNUAL BAROMETER OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TO DEVELOPMENT RELEASED
The third annual survey of public attitude to property development in the UK carried out by The Saint Consulting Group has been released.

In the only survey of its kind, the Saint UK Index© questioned 1,000 people throughout the UK in February 2008. An overall summary of their responses is that:

• Government policy and public opinion are pulling in different directions over development. 68% of Brits say the goal of building three million new homes by 2020 is unrealistic
• 86 percent of British public can now be classified as NIMBYs, and one in four households has actively opposed a planning application in the past year
• In advance of the local elections in May, councillors need to think hard about planning; 65% of people are not satisfied with their council’s performance on planning

[More]

October 10, 2007
MORE AMERICANS SUPPORT BUILDING POWER PLANTS ACCORDING TO NEW SURVEY FROM SAINT CONSULTING
Data Also Shows Wind Farms Most Preferred Power Plant
HINGHAM, MA – October 10, 2007 –The number of Americans who support power plant development in their hometown rose dramatically over the past year, according to the 2007 Saint Index© survey on attitudes toward real estate development.

Thirty-eight percent of American adults support a local power plant project, compared to just 23 percent in 2006 — a 15 percent rise.

Where power plants and quarries were the second most-opposed land uses a year ago, even Wal-Mart, shopping malls and casinos drew more opposition as local development projects this year. (Landfills remained the most reviled local land use by Americans, matched by casinos this year.) [More]

October 10, 2007
CASINOS AND LANDFILLS TOP AMERICA’S MOST-OPPOSED LIST
Saint Index Data Shows U.S. is ‘Going NIMBY’ In Record Numbers
HINGHAM, MA – October 10, 2007 –Americans love to visit casinos, but it’s the last thing they want built in their own community — and the same holds true for most other types of development.

Casinos are now tied with a landfill as the most-opposed type of local real estate project, according to the 2007 Saint Index© survey of Americans’ attitudes toward development.

Seventy-six percent of American adults oppose a casino development in their hometown, an increase from 67 percent a year ago. Casinos are also the most-opposed local land use in Canada, where 85 percent of adults say they would oppose one in their community. [More]

October 10, 2007
POLITICIANS BEWARE – ‘NIMBYs’ ARE EVERYWHERE
Liberal and Conservative, Democrat and Republican: The Politics of ‘Not In My Back Yard’ is a ‘Rainbow Coalition’
HINGHAM, MA – October 10, 2007 –Politicians are playing with fire if they buy into the common stereotype of ‘Not In My Back Yard’ voters as Starbucks-drinking, suburban, liberals.

Education and income can be indicators of how some Americans view local real estate development proposals, but opposition to hometown development projects runs across political party preference and ideology, the 2007 Saint Index nationwide survey shows.

Conducted by The Saint Consulting Group, an international land use politics consultancy, The Saint Index interviews with 1,000 American adults nationwide. The Index was conducted during the third quarter of 2007, and is the first of its kind to quantify and track the politics of land use, spotlighting who actively opposes and supports real estate-related projects and why. [More]

June 4, 2007
NEW POLL RESULTS REVEAL THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IN BRITAIN, THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Public distrust of development is rampant in Britain, the United States and Canada, where recent surveys find remarkably similar opposition to large-scale development, distrust in local politicians and fears that the planning process is unfair.

The Saint Index, conducted as three surveys by The Saint Consulting Group, an international land use politics consultancy, found that huge majorities in each country want no more development in their local area. [More]

April 2, 2007
IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO BUILD JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN CANADA, GET READY FOR A FIGHT!
Groundbreaking research by Saint Consulting finds the majority of Canadians oppose development and are distrustful of elected officials
TORONTO, APRIL 2, 2007 – In its first national survey of Canadian attitudes toward real estate developments -- the big projects such as hospitals, landfills and nuclear power plants -- the Saint Index found high levels of distrust for local politicians and a fear that their often close relationship with developers makes the planning process unfair. [More]

April 2, 2007
WIND POWER WINS PUBLIC SUPPORT^© RELEASED
Wind power developments are least likely to be opposed by Canadians -
Nuclear power opposed by most
TORONTO, APRIL 2, 2007 – According to the premiere Canadian edition of the Saint Index, wind power is the alternative energy source most likely to gain public support for future development, with only 16% opposed to this type of energy. By contrast, a groundbreaking survey by the Saint Consulting Group found that 3 out of 4 Canadians oppose nuclear power developments. [More].

April 2, 2007
SURVEY RESULTS WARN RETAIL DEVELOPERS OF TOUGH TIMES AHEAD
Canada's largest cities most opposed to development
TORONTO, APRIL 2, 2007 – Retailers beware! New research findings point to major contradictions that could result in significant opposition to retail developments, especially in Canada's largest cities.

"Canadians like the big-box retail shopping experience. That's the good news," explains Patrick Fox, President of the Saint Consulting Group. "Yet, 58% of Canadians say they would oppose such a development in their own community." [More].

March 29, 2007
Saint Consulting One of "Seven Small Jewels" For 2007
Hingham, Massachusetts, March 29, 2007 - The Saint Consulting Group, a management consulting firm that specializes in winning zoning and land use battles for global and national companies, has been named one of Consulting Magazine's "Seven Small Jewels for 2007." The annual feature ranks up-and-coming consulting firms that are advancing big ideas and energizing the profession. [More]

March 2007
SECOND ANNUAL UK SAINT INDEX^© RELEASED
NIMBYism is alive and well in the United Kingdom - 83 percent of adults want no more development in their local area, according to the UK Saint Index© survey of 1,000 people throughout the United Kingdom.

For a news release providing highlights of the 2007 UK Saint Index^©, click [More].

November 2006
U.S. ATTITUDES AGAINST LAND-USE DEVELOPMENT GROW DEEPER AND MORE WIDESPREAD
Negative mind-set dominates results of second national Saint Index^© across 14 industries and five regions; citizens turn thumbs-down on effectiveness of local officials in land-use issues.
Toplines and trends from The Saint Index© sponsored by The Saint Consulting Group:

• Opposition to development still remains strong: 1 in 5 Americans actively oppose it.
• 70% of Americans would use taxes to keep land un-developed.
• Even greater opposition surfaces about landfills, power plants, and quarries. [More]

August 2006
STUDY CONDUCTED IN US AND UK BY SAINT CONSULTING GROUP AUGURS POORLY FOR DEVELOPERS AND POLITICAL CANDIDATES WHO FAVOUR GROWTH
The US and the UK may be two nations divided by a common language, but when it comes to their attitude towards real estate development, their citizens are united in common defiance. [More]

July 2006
THE SAINT CONSULTING GROUP EXPANDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH FOUR NEW OFFICES IN US
Company's growth, spurred by need for land-use political strategies, leads to four new offices this year with fifth in offing, totaling a lucky 13
The Saint Consulting Group - the largest consulting firm in the world to focus on land-use politics, and the source of The Saint Index^© of attitudes about real estate development - now has a presence in Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle. This brings the total number of offices to 12, with one more in the offing. [More]

February 2006
AMERICA ON WAL-MART:
LOVE THE BARGAINS, BUT NOT THE “BIG BOX”
Saint Index, national survey, finds that Wal-Mart is always welcome…somewhere else.
The Saint Index^©, a new survey by the Hingham, MA-based Saint Consulting Group, confirms Americans’ love-hate relationship with Wal-Mart. Even as the global company revs up a campaign to protect its reputation, and despite Wal-Mart’s undeniable popularity among consumers, almost two-thirds of those surveyed (63%) said that they would oppose a Wal-Mart store if one were proposed in their community. [More]

January 2006
FINDINGS FROM THE SAINT INDEX^©
Who cares about the politics of land use & development?”
Real estate developers had better be strategic – or else
First national survey to study the terrain where real estate, business and politics cross uncovers insights into Americans attitudes about land-use development
Americans are twice as likely to oppose new real estate development projects as support them. They are more likely to oppose quarries, casinos, land-fills, and big-box retail than single family homes and groceries. They say they are most often opposed because of concerns over traffic and quality of life issues. They will use the political process to protect their neighborhoods from unwanted development – and virtually all development is unwanted. [More]