Key to the success of any project in the public realm is the subsequent transformation into public ownership. This outcome can only be achieved through close community involvement in the design and planning process. Buro Happold’s collaborative approach involves bringing local people into the planning loop from the outset to draw out responses and engage all parties in a meaningful dialogue.

A public inquiry is an ideal forum for raising awareness of a project within the community, identifying priorities and bringing local concerns out into the open. Taking the opportunity to explain why infrastructure improvements are being made, and trying to reach consensus on key issues, can often result in less formal objections being made during the statutory consultation phase.

Urban design should enhance people’s lives by improving the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the area in which they live. By developing an inclusive consultation strategy we ensure that people’s opinions and interests are reflected in the various physical and environmental elements of the project (for example, the design of pedestrian access routes and green spaces).

We use a number of methodologies including public consultation events and exhibitions, walk and talks, focus groups and in-depth interviews. The aim is to try and make these as stimulating as possible to engage a wide cross-section of people, especially ‘hard to reach’ groups. When requested, our specialist engineers also provide expert witness evidence at large public inquiries.

Whenever possible, infrastructure should be designed to promote reduced consumption of resources; so where recycling technologies and sustainable sources of energy are proposed we aim to involve communities in our vision of creating a more environmentally responsible development. This includes discussing our strategies for energy and water provision, waste disposal and the wider use of ‘green’ materials.