Consultation
Understanding what communities really want and developing thoseabstract desires into hard operating principles is a vital part of makingsuccessful places.
Our most basic goal is to stimulate greater civic pridein a community. Local people very often have a deepknowledge of their neighbourhood and the possibilitiesit offers. Their experience and aspirations are vital constituents in a successful masterplan.
We have developed successful methods for engaging local communities. They include participatory designworkshops, public exhibitions and other forms of engagement that go well beyond the statutory requirement for consultation. Their aim is to ensure that local residentsand stakeholders can express and contribute their views,but also that they understand and appreciate the benefits that investment in their neighbourhood might bring.
The idea is to set out a physical framework for theircommunity’s future through a partnership between professional expertise, and the experience and aspirations of its members.
Understanding the community’s culture, heritage andeconomic circumstances and aspirations is an important part of creating economically and socially sustainable locations. The task of masterplanning is to transform these goals into a physical environment that is ecologically sustainable as well.