Community consultation
We provide creative community consultation support for developers and public bodies who need to build confidence and trust around proposed developments.
How developers and public bodies consult communities on proposed developments can make the difference between a successful scheme and a costly failure.
Navigating the planning process is frequently cited as a challenge for developers of all sizes.
And we know from our work across England and Wales that local authorities and communities expect meaningful engagement on developments proposed for their area. Clear, open community engagement is key to addressing this challenge.
This is where a smart, agile comms team adds value.
Why good engagement matters
Our founder Ben Lowndes grew up in a family who directly experienced bad engagement on a major development proposal and has borne the brunt of it himself since setting up Distinctive.
But we’ve also seen the positive difference side that two-way communication can make, through our work on major developments, proposed traffic changes in Cheddar town centre, and high profile schemes like Gravity in Somerset.
Telling the story clearly, in ways that matter locally, takes careful planning and a proper understanding of the communities you’re engaging.
This work often runs alongside direct engagement with stakeholders – political and community leaders, businesses and anchor institutions – as part of a consistent, joined up approach.
Sometimes this approach links with development milestones, like the start of a planning process.
On some major developments we support, communications runs continually throughout the development phase, keeping the community updated and being on hand to respond to their questions.
Supporting constructive conversations
Our specialist engagement team provides this essential support for teams working on complex and transformational development projects.
Guided by our three engagement principles, we offer a complete package, managing every aspect of our clients’ project communications requirements, including:
- Strategy development
- Content creation
- Digital consultation and website
- Event planning and organisation – online and in person.
- Printed materials
- Media handling and virtual press office support, staffed by a senior member of the team.
- All supported with a dedicated response service with inbox monitoring, community phoneline and FREEPOST address to ensure queries are responded to swiftly and people feel heard.
We know that some questions and feedback can be challenging, and we are experienced in handling them carefully. Our recent blog offers tips on how to handle this feedback.
We also strongly believe that the most authentic and valuable engagement comes from listening effectively to communities. Taken together, our 360° approach gives us a full understanding of your project and how to demonstrate its value to local people. Â
Our guide to building quality consultations – from strategic planning to successful execution – shows how to be prepared and stay on track. You can download it here.
Get in touch
Planning a consultation and want to get it right from the start? Talk to us about how we can help.
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