Map Commenting in Cadence

Public consultations generate valuable feedback, but it is often scattered across multiple sources and difficult to connect to the sites it concerns.

Cadence makes consultation feedback easier to capture, organise and review. Users can comment directly on sites, respond to existing comments and quickly see what has been said, all in one place.

Map commenting is now live and available on Enterprise plans.

Feedback is more powerful when it’s connected to the data behind it. Unlike standalone map commenting tools, Cadence lets you collect feedback in the same environment where you access and analyse over 10,000 planning datasets. That means residents can respond to real places and information, while teams can immediately understand those responses in their wider spatial context without moving between different tools or manually joining the data afterwards.

A council running a public transport consultation might want to understand whether bus stop coverage meets local need. With Cadence, they can combine bus stop locations with a range of other transport data to identify potential gaps, and then ask residents directly where services could be improved.

Step 1: Set up your consultation

Turn on Map Commenting and add the question you want residents to answer – for example, “Are there enough bus stops in your area?”

You can choose whether comments require approval before they become visible, or appear immediately. Comments can be removed at any time if they are inappropriate.

Step 2: Share the map

When your consultation is ready, simply share the map using a link. Anyone with the link can view the map, while user details are required to comment, helping ensure responses come from real, identifiable people.

You can also embed the map directly into your own website, making it easy for residents to find and respond to.

Step 3: Let users respond

Users can search for a location by postcode or place name, then select the pin icon to add a comment directly to the map. Each comment is automatically linked to the location where it was submitted meaning there is no need to match responses to sites or locations afterwards.

Users can:

• Access the consultation on desktop or mobile
• Search for specific locations
• View supporting information alongside the map
• Add comments at specific locations
• Reply to existing comments.

Step 4: Review and use the responses

Review and approve comments before they are published or allow them to appear immediately. Teams can also respond directly to comments, helping create a dialogue with participants. When the consultation is complete, its easy to export all responses to CSV in a single click. Alternatively use Cadence Charts to analyse and visualise the results.

What you can do

Capability	Benefit
Comment directly on the map	Responses are automatically linked to locations
Moderation	Keep consultation responses appropriate and relevant
Search by postcode/place	Make it easy for users to find their location
Desktop & mobile	Reach users wherever they are
Replies	Enable dialogue rather than one-way feedback
CSV export	Move consultation data straight into your workflow
Cadence Charts	Analyse and visualise responses

Want to use Map Commenting in your next consultation? Contact us at info@cityscience.com to find out how Cadence can support your consultation process.

Frequently asked questions