Make someone happy with a phone call…
by Amanda Hayward
You may remember the yellow bird called Buzby that was used in the BT adverts back in the 1980’s? We were all encouraged to keep in touch by using the telephone to make ‘someone happy’ and to ‘spread the word’.
Fast forward to the present and there are many ways we can keep in touch and spread the word with business, friends and family – in print, social media, mobile phones, video calls, instant messaging, email – it’s all there at our finger tips. The messaging remains the same, ‘keep in touch and make someone happy’.
Our communication team, along with communication expert Claire Winterflood, use all the above methods to ensure that we keep in touch with the community when undertaking a community consultation. We spread the word, ensuring everyone is kept updated and, most importantly happy!
Community involvement is at the heart of the planning process and has become ever more important. In December 2022, the DLUHC released a consultation document, again emphasising the need for more democratic engagement with communities on local plans and empowering communities to shape their neighbourhoods. By demonstrating a willingness to engage alongside a commitment to the community, it can deliver against your Company’s ESG agenda.
At Urbanissta, our team has years of experience in proactively involving communities and understanding their thoughts on current and future development in their area. Every project is different and requires a different approach, that is why we take time to understand and develop relationships with local stakeholders, political partners and residents.
It doesn’t just stop at a planning application submission…. Our team can continue to help our clients create close knit communities and a lasting legacy…long after construction has started.
For planning engagement we can:
- Ensure early engagement to enable positive working relationships with key stakeholders and the public
- Identify the key audiences
- Make recommendations for how to reach the community, stakeholders and groups including the elderly, the young, time poor individuals and families
- Tailor consultation packages, depending on the level of support required
- Support your Company’s ESG activities
- Analyse who is affected, may have influence, knows about the development, or has interest in it
- Formulate key messages, the benefits and positive impacts for the local area
- Target communications to ensure the community and key stakeholders have an opportunity for representation of their views
- Provide honest and thorough feedback
- Ensure consistent communication, that doesn’t end when a planning application is submitted or determined i.e ongoing newsletters, community liaison groups, website updates
We understand it’s not just about building homes, but about building a community and a legacy, so when planning has been approved and building is underway, Claire can continue to support with assistance on:
- Your Corporate Social Responsibility Agenda – working with schools, colleges, local groups either on or off site
- Events on site – the official opening, sales launches, VIP visits
- Public art & other infrastructure projects
- Raising awareness of your company in the area through local events
- Supporting local employment initiatives
- Organising solo or supporting existing Charity events
- Projects to support Considerate Constructor targets
- Producing Green Travel Plans for residents and the wider community
If you have a consultation or engagement project you would like to talk to us about,
do get in touch with our communications team:
To take a look at the projects we have worked on, please click here
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