Our client sought to bring forward proposals for a service area off the A34 at Chilton, Oxfordshire, compromising of a petrol filling station, electric vehicle charging points, parking, retail and a food and drink outlet. The proposed site was ideally located for such a development – a small triangle of farmland cut off by highways upgrades at the Chilton A34 junction, located on a stretch of the A34 with no northbound services for 40 miles.

Challenge

• The site was within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and officers were concerned the proposals constituted ‘major development’ in the AONB.

• Additional concerns were raised that the scheme would generate a significant level of increased traffic at the interchange, and poor sightlines on the northbound slip road.

Solution

• We launched a community consultation website outlining the proposals and providing our contact details for residents and stakeholders to direct enquiries and comments.

• We sent out a detailed briefing letter to nearly 800 local residents and businesses, directing them to visit the consultation website and leave feedback, receiving almost 90 positive responses.

• We arranged a series of meetings with stakeholders, including the site ward councillor, the Oxfordshire County Councillor, the Parish Council and neighbouring Parish Council, as well as the Harwell Campus and neighbouring businesses. The ward councillor proved extremely supportive, and agreed to call the application in to Planning Committee.

• Crucially, we organised a series of meetings with the North Wessex Downs AONB Board, which culminated in the Board writing to Vale of White Horse District Council supporting our stance that the proposals did not constitute ‘major development’.

• SP Broadway arranged a meeting with the site’s Member of Parliament, who supported the proposals and wrote to Vale of White Horse District Council urging them to consent the application.

Result

The application went before the first Planning Committee after local elections, where the Conservatives had lost their majority to the Liberal Democrats, who did not share the previous administration’s enthusiasm for the Service Area and refused the application.  An appeal was subsequently submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

The post Service area appeared first on SP Broadway.

A privately owned property company formed in 1993 with offices in Cambridge and London brought us on board to understand political views and gain support ahead of submitting a planning application for the redevelopment of a former gasworks on the edge of the city of Oxford, into flexible use life sciences, R&D, light or general industrial space in the Ox Cam Arc.

Challenge

Although the site was brownfield, which made it more straightforward than greenfield, we anticipated highways to be a prominent issue with residents and councillors, particularly in light of a residential development to the east of the site. In addition, the site was on the outer edge of the city of Oxford, hard up against the South Oxfordshire District Council Green Belt.

Solution

• SP Broadway facilitated discussions with a range of political stakeholders in order to build support ahead of the formal submission of a planning application.

• Meetings were offered to Blackbird Leys Ward members, Blackbird Leys Parish Council, the chair of Oxford City Council Planning Committee, the Cabinet Member for Planning and the Chief Executive of the Oxfordshire LEP.

• Meetings covered a range of issues including design, economic benefits, employment, traffic and access, ecology, landscaping and how the development could help Oxford’s life sciences sector and address the shortage of buildings suitable for R&D/ life sciences across the wider Ox Cam Arc.

Result

After understanding key political concerns and support, the client submitted the planning application to Oxford City Council. Officers gave a recommendation of support, and the employment led scheme subsequently received unanimous support at planning committee and will be a great edition to the Oxford fringe life sciences space, and the wider OxCam Arc.

The post Life sciences campus appeared first on SP Broadway.

Our client sought to bring forward proposals for an extension to a cemetery in the London Borough of Bromley.  The proposal included additional gravestones, associated landscaping and tree removal, an extension to a road, pavements, a wooden lodge containing offices and new toilet facilities; cumulatively all these had caused concern amongst residents and the local civic society, feeding through to officers and members.

Challenge

The Bromley Local Plan designated the cemetery as a Conservation Area and a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. The cemetery also lay within the Green Belt and therefore clearing woodland to make room for additional graves proved to be controversial with residents and conservation groups. Increased traffic, access and disruption resulting from additional funeral services were some of the additional sources of concern. SP Broadway was brought on board to gain a full understanding of officer and councillor concerns, to explain the plans to local stakeholders and to bring all parties together ahead of the submission of the planning application.

Solution

• SP Broadway facilitated meetings between the cemetery and a range of key stakeholders, including ward councillors and the local civic society, in order to hear their views on the proposed cemetery extension and discuss solutions.

• The civic society was particularly interested in protecting trees, and the possibility of rewilding parts of the cemetery was discussed.

• Elected councillors were given a guided tour of the existing cemetery, which included presenting the revised cemetery masterplan, understanding the extent of tree loss/new tree planting and new access arrangements.

Result

Once ward councillors and civic leaders’ concerns had been addressed, officers felt able to bring the scheme through planning.   Bromley Council Planning Committee voted to approve the proposals by six votes to three.

The post Cemetery extension appeared first on SP Broadway.

Lidl sought planning permission for a new 20,450 sq. ft food store on a business park site south of Horsham that had already received outline planning permission for business and trade park units. SP Broadway were instructed to organise an online consultation for the Lidl food store ahead of submission of a planning application.

Challenge

The challenge was to communicate to residents and the Parish Council the benefits of the Lidl supermarket and encourage their support as the scheme was being considered by officers and ultimately elected members.

Solution

• We had regularly updated the Parish Council on the build-out progress of the wider business park, and notified parish and ward councillors ahead of our online consultation (due to COVID- 19 restrictions) for the new Lidl food store.
• We launched a consultation website detailing the Lidl proposals and invited feedback from village residents.
• We uploaded a community leaflet onto the consultation website. We received over 337 online feedback forms, 312 responders (93%) supporting the principle of a new Lidl food store as an affordable alternative to other supermarkets that would prevent them having to leave the village to shop and would support a rising population.

Result

SP Broadway gained the support of the Parish Council and the local community with 93% of residents’ comments in favour of a new Lidl food store. With officers content, the planning application was approved by delegated decision.

The post New supermarket appeared first on SP Broadway.

Our client had lodged a planning application with SODC for 43 apartments and 221 sqm new office space on the site of light industrial and low-grade existing office space on Newtown Road, Henley on Thames. The site is located on a business park and had been marketed for commercial use for 18 months with no interest and had been vacant for over 10 years.

Challenge

The adopted Henley Neighbourhood Plan designated the site for employment use only, with Henley Town Council objecting to the proposals on this basis. The local ward members, one of which sat on the Planning Committee, were also objecting on this basis.

Solution

SP Broadway were instructed a month before committee to undertake political engagement and to explain the advantages of a mixed-use regeneration of a brownfield site in this location. We drafted and prepared a briefing letter to Planning Committee members, highlighting the existing buildings were outdated and not in demand. This was followed up with telephone conversations to committee members highlighting 6 key advantages of the redevelopment:

• 43 apartments in a sustainable location, 15 minutes’ walk from Henley station

• 221 sqm of brand-new office space, ideal for small businesses and start-ups

• 8 affordable apartments provided on-site on a shared ownership basis

• High-quality, brand new homes instead of an office-to-residential conversion

• Maintaining an employment use on-site instead of a wholly residential proposal

• Bringing a vacant brownfield site back into a productive, mixed use

Result

Despite objections from the Town Council and local ward members, the Planning Committee voted 6-2 in favour of the application, with 1 abstention.

The post New homes & office space appeared first on SP Broadway.

Our client sought to bring forward proposals for an extension and improvements to the rear of the London Elizabeth Hotel (near Paddington station) including a new building incorporating guest bed rooms, storage space and additional hotel facilities.

Challenge

SP Broadway was asked to assist with community relations after the initial proposal was withdrawn following objections from neighbours and other residents, SP Broadway then faced the challenge of addressing concerns and advising on suitable amendments to gain community support ahead of a rescheduled planning application submission. For the resubmission, SP Broadway worked alongside RPS Planning Consultants and Steve Norris (former Conservative MP).

Solution

• SP Broadway sent out a detailed letter to local residents and stakeholders, including South East Bayswater Residents’ Association and Lancaster Gate Freehold Limited, explaining the reasons behind the withdrawal of the previous application, providing an update on the proposed new scheme and encouraging recipients to contact SP Broadway with any questions.

• We arranged a meeting with community stakeholders and residents to discuss their concerns including Lancaster Gate Housing Association (LGHA). The discussion led to the decision to amend the servicing arrangements for the hotel, with LGHA requesting incorporation of a dedicated loading bay at the rear of the hotel.

• Following the meeting, we emailed LGHA to update them on the changes that had been made as a direct result of the discussion. The update was acknowledged by LGHA, who raised additional points about access, construction and daylight at the site. We continued to liaise with LGHA on these matters as the proposals progressed towards committee.

Result

The new guest bedrooms were consented by Westminster City Council Planning Committee.

The post Hotel extension appeared first on SP Broadway.

Our client sought to redevelop two buildings on Kensington High Street, which were run-down externally and in a poor state of repair internally. The proposals were mixed-use, involving the redevelopment of the interior of the buildings with ground-floor retail, offices and residential apartments, as well as the retention and restoration of the buildings’ facades. The redevelopment would help ensure the survival of these Georgian buildings within the Kensington Conservation Area.

Challenge

Given the site’s location on the frontage of Kensington High Street, there were concerns about the impact on traffic during the construction phase of the redevelopment, as access to the site would be limited and require construction vehicles to use the High Street itself. There were also concerns about how construction works would impact residents.

Solution

• SP Broadway compiled a detailed Political and Community Stakeholder Audit to identify key local stakeholders. Once completed, we arranged a meeting with the site ward councillors to brief them on the proposals and hear their views on the design and on our planned community consultation exercise.

• During our briefing meeting with ward councillors, they expressed concerns about access arrangements for construction vehicles, which would have to use Kensington High Street, and as a result a more detailed approach towards construction management was adopted.

• To alleviate any potential concerns of local residents regarding construction, we drafted and sent out a detailed information letter to residents and businesses in an agreed radius around the site, including images of the current buildings and images of the proposed redevelopment. The letter also explained invited residents and businesses to submit feedback to SP Broadway. Only one response was received.

Result

Following the circulation of our information letter to local residents, we gave a two-week consultation period to allow for feedback before submitting a planning application.  The scheme was consented under delegated powers.

The post Mixed-use development appeared first on SP Broadway.

Cemex – a leading global producer of cement, concrete and other building materials – sought consent for the recovery of minerals from a former airfield near Slough.

Challenge

• The land formed a crucial part of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow. It was crucial that consent was awarded quickly, to allow the recovery works to synchronise with the railway scheme.

• Mineral extraction requires a significant number of HGV movements, and the site was close to Iver, a town where this was an existing concern. The County Council had expressed the need for a new road to avoid HGVs travelling through Iver.

Solution

• SP Broadway compiled a detailed Political and Community Stakeholder Survey. This identified the key stakeholders on Buckinghamshire County Council – the decision-making authority – but also those on Slough Borough, South Bucks District, and Iver Parish Councils, who could influence local perception of the scheme.

• We arranged and attended several meetings with local ward councillors and Cabinet members, to brief them on the proposals, explain the benefits of the scheme and understand their concerns.

• SP Broadway organised a public exhibition, allowing Cemex to display the plans and discuss them with residents.

• We assisted Cemex in the production of a leaflet, issued to residents and stakeholders upon application submission. This leaflet emphasised the potential for the scheme to work in harmony with the Western Rail Link to Heathrow – providing construction materials for the railway tunnel from the site itself, thus reducing HGV movements in the future.

Result

Buckinghamshire County Council Development Control Committee unanimously agreed to delegate the decision to the Head of Planning & Environment, who awarded the scheme planning permission.

The post Mineral extraction appeared first on SP Broadway.

SP Broadway was instructed to assist with the final stage of consultation on a proposal to build a new supermarket and petrol station on the edge of the town of Ludlow, Shropshire.

Challenge

Though the planning application was recommended for approval by Shropshire Council officers, the proposal was very controversial locally, opposed by the town council and Chamber of Commerce for its perceived impact on trade in Ludlow town centre and its impact on traffic.

Solution

• Having been informed by the client that the head of the local community centre had been supportive of the proposals at a public exhibition two years previously, we established her identity and telephoned her to understand her views further. The call established that she remained supportive of the supermarket but she had not submitted her views to the council. At our urging she duly wrote a letter expressing her support for the application and submitted it to the council.

• We drafted and sent a briefing letter to all Planning Committee members, stressing how the proposal would create jobs and consumer choice for Ludlow residents, boost the town’s economy by helping to claw-back trade from other towns in the region, and increase business rate revenue for the council.

• At a meeting, the Planning Committee deferred the application, with a view to refusing.

• Following the deferral we created a petition in favour of the proposal, and placed it in the community centre where we knew we had support.

• We drafted and sent a further briefing letter to Planning Committee Members before the second Committee date, highlighting the changes made to the scheme reflecting comments members made at the earlier Committee, and reminding members about the economic benefits and limited impact on the town centre. We also highlighted the petition in support, and how the majority of residents’ expressing a view during the Council’s own consultation supported the revised proposals.

Result

The Planning Committee voted by 5 votes to 4 to approve the revised application.

The post New food store appeared first on SP Broadway.

The Japanese Government sought planning permission for change-of-use of a landmark retail building on Kensington High Street to create a centre for the promotion of Japanese culture, “Japan House”, retaining ground floor retail but converting the first floor to a restaurant and the basement to events space.

Challenge

The area was represented by influential councillors, the Kensington Society and residents’ associations concerned about losing prime retail space on Kensington High Street to other uses with lower footfall. Residents were also concerned about the impact of the restaurant and events space on local amenity, particularly at night.

Solution

• Instructed to establish lines of communication with key stakeholders, we set up a series of meetings with local councillors, residents’ associations, business representatives and the local civic society.

• After initial meetings the Japan House team subsequently revised the proposals and we set up a second series of meetings with stakeholders to guide them through the changes. The team also agreed to draw up a management plan and to meet with residents on a regular basis once the centre was open.

• Though not necessary for a change-of-use application, we compiled a detailed Statement of Community Involvement for submission with the planning application, explaining our consultation with stakeholders and responding to the issues they had raised.

• Once the application was submitted we handled queries from the local residents’ association, clarifying key points contained in the application documents.

• We also provided strategic advice to the Japan House team on their response to queries raised by officers, members, the Kensington Society and residents regarding the detail of the application.

• With the committee date approaching we drafted a short briefing letter setting out the positives of the scheme, which was then sent to planning committee members by the Japanese Ambassador.

Result

RBKC Planning Applications Committee voted unanimously to approve the proposals.

The post Japanese cultural centre appeared first on SP Broadway.

SP Broadway was instructed to assist with the final political stage of consultation on an application to redevelop two garden centres on the edge of South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, providing a new Sainsbury’s store and doctor’s surgery.

Challenge

• The site was a long, thin stretch of land outside the Urban Area, extending into open countryside. Parts of the site were undeveloped, and the site was opposite a Grade II listed cottage.

• Chelmsford City Council had identified a large area of land north of the town for potential residential development in its Local Plan. Our clients’ site formed part of this land, and there was concern the application would be seen as a ‘Trojan Horse’ for further development outside the Urban Area.

Solution

• Our initial research established that South Woodham Ferrers councillors had recently undertaken a survey of residents showing widespread enthusiasm for a new supermarket to rival the existing Asda store, promoting choice and competition.

• We monitored local newspapers and online media to monitor the response to the council’s Local Plan options, and prepared a press release in case the connection was made publicly between our client’s application and the proposed residential development to the north, which could have led to a refusal.

• We drafted and sent a briefing letter to all Planning Committee members, setting out the benefits of the scheme for South Woodham Ferrers residents, followed by calls to members to gauge their attitude to the scheme and answer any questions.

• Planning Committee members chose to defer the application for a month, enabling a site visit to consider the scheme’s impact on 1) landscape 2) highways 3) the listed cottage and 4) the town centre. In the week of the site visit we sent a further briefing letter addressing these four key issues.

Result

The application was approved 10 votes to 1 at the second Planning Committee meeting.

The post New food store appeared first on SP Broadway.

A boarding school in Hertfordshire sought planning consent to demolish a postwar building on its campus and replace with two new buildings, providing much-needed accommodation for students and staff.

Challenge

The application site was adjacent to a number of residential properties. An application had been submitted before but refused at committee because of the impact of the new buildings on these properties.

Solution

Having submitted a revised application that sought to adress the reasons for refusal, SP Broadway was instructed to assist the school with communications to planning committee members in the run-up to the committee date.

• • We advised the school to send an initial letter to members once the revised application was submitted, making clear exactly what was proposed and the changes made to the scheme since the refusal. An initial draft was produced by the planning consultant and we then reviewed the text, suggesting a series of amendments and refinements to ensure clarity of communication and maximum use of standard English.
• Once the officer’s report was published in advance of the committee date, we assisted the planning consultant in producing a second letter to planning committee members, specifically addressing issues raised in an objection by one of the neighbouring residents. Again the emphasis was on explaining how the application addressed these issues – most of the detail of which was technical – in as clear and easy-to-understand a fashion as possible.

• We also reviewed a draft of the planning consultant’s speech to the planning committee, suggesting specific amendments to the text and providing general advice on delivery.

Result

The revised application was unanimously approved by East Herts Development Management Committee.

The post New school buildings appeared first on SP Broadway.

A university based in South East London had submitted a planning application to Royal Borough of Greenwich to refurbish the Dreadnought building, a Grade II listed building on its historic Greenwich campus, next to the Old Royal Naval College. Formerly the university library, the building would become the base for some faculty departments, as well as provide new facilities for the Students’ Union.

Challenge

Being a prominent listed building within the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, the fate of the building was of interest to an unusually large number of stakeholder bodies and local interest groups.

Solution

• In order to make residents aware of the planning application, SP Broadway organised a one-day public exhibition of the proposals, held in the Dreadnought building. Using specialised mapping software we created a radius of invitees and sent an invitation letter to all residential and business addesses within this radius, totalling some 440 invitations.

• We also organised a short preview of the exhibition display for key stakeholders, held on the same day before it opened to the public. We sent out personal invitations to over 100 stakeholders and arranged for the Vice-Chancellor to address the event. We also liaised with university staff regarding catering and logistics.

Result

Our client thanked us for “all the hard work that led to a successful [consultation] event…the Vice Chancellor and University were very happy”. The planning application was approved by Royal Borough of Greenwich.

The post Campus refurbishment appeared first on SP Broadway.

SP Broadway was instructed to undertake a concise programme of political and community consultation to support the redevelopment of an industrial site in Leominster to house a 45,000 sq ft supermarket.

Challenge

There was a competing application to build a food store on another site in Leominster. Both schemes were vehemently opposed by the local Green Party, and both schemes had been refused once before. We had to do two things: demonstrate that there was real local support for a new supermarket in Leominster, and demonstrate that our client’s proposal was preferable to the competing site.

Solution

• As soon as the revised application was submitted we wrote to Herefordshire Council Planning Committee members to let them know the changes made and extol the virtues of our client’s scheme.

• Media monitoring of the local newspaper clearly showed there were Leominster residents who supported a new supermarket. We therefore took out a full-page advertisement in the paper and wrote an open letter to residents, setting out the key benefits of our client’s proposal and urging supporters to contact the council and make their voices heard.

• We also made a presentation to Leominster Town Council on behalf of our client. Though it had recommended refusal of the initial application and had a substantial Green Party contingent, the town council voted to support our client’s revised proposal. It also voted to refuse the competing proposal, having supported it the first time around.

• In the week before the committee met we drafted and sent a hard-hitting briefing letter to all Herefordshire Council Planning Committee members, demonstrating the advantages of our client’s site over the competing proposal and highlighting the support of Leominster Town Council and residents.

Result

Both schemes were decided at the same meeting of Herefordshire Council Planning Committee. The competing proposal was refused unanimously, while our client’s proposal was refused by the narrow margin of 10 votes to 7. We succeeded in helping to knock the competing proposal out of contention and demonstrate real support for the benefit of our client, which was encouraged enough to consider an appeal.

The post New food store appeared first on SP Broadway.

A well-established university in London sought to gain planning consent for a comprehensive regeneration of its campus. SP Broadway was instructed to provide political, community and media communications to secure this planning consent.

Challenge

As an established institution in the area, it was important our client gained consent in a way that maintained and enhanced its standing within the local community. The site, in an area with a number of strong residents’ associations, was controversial with residents concerned the development would further increase the already substantial queues into the university’s car park and further concerns over the design of the regenerated buildings.

Solution

• A series of Community Liaison Groups were organised, enabling key members of the community and local politicians to discuss the proposals in an open and honest environment, encouraging support from within the local community.

• A public exhibition was held over two days to introduce the proposals to residents first hand. A feedback questionnaire was also prepared for the exhibition which allowed valuable information about residents’ views to be gathered, identified areas of concern and provided valuable statistics: with 59% of respondents commenting positively on the proposals.

• In the run-up to the planning committee’s decision, we sent a letter to each member of the committee highlighting the benefits of the development for the university and for Ealing, and listing the changes made to the scheme following consultation with the community.

Result

Ealing Council Planning Committee unanimously voted to approve the application.

After further consultation, including another meeting of the Community Liaison Group and a second public exhibition, an application for an additional new university building was submitted to Ealing Council and consented.

SP Broadway was retained as communications adviser during the construction process.  The refurbishment is now complete.

The post Campus refurbishment appeared first on SP Broadway.

Our client sought to enhance the historic Greenwich Market – within the Greenwich Town Centre Conservation Area and the Greenwich World Heritage Site – by bringing forward plans for a new market roof, refurbishing existing buildings and creating a new food court and area of public open space.

Challenge

A previous application for a comprehensive regeneration of the market had proved very unpopular. It was therefore important to distance the new plans for market enhancements from the previous scheme, and to better understand community views.

Solution

• SP Broadway set up meetings with the local London Assembly Member and Member of Parliament.

• We organised a public exhibition over two days.

• Exhibition feedback established that 89% of respondents supported the market enhancements, a statistic we included in a Statement of Community Involvement submitted with the planning application.

• Once the application was submitted we organised a second exhibition over three days, aimed specifically at market traders & retailers. During the exhibition a petition in favour of the market enhancements was signed by 185 people.

• Prior to planning committee we met the two principal local newspapers, to explain that the petition demonstrated widespread support among traders & retailers. Articles subsequently appeared in both papers in the week before the planning committee, highlighting the support in the petition.

Result

The market enhancements were unanimously approved by Royal Borough of Greenwich Planning Board.

The post Historic market regeneration appeared first on SP Broadway.

SP Broadway was instructed to undertake a community and political consultation programme for the redevelopment and extension of a regional distribution centre in Warwickshire. The 40 acre site would encompass approximately 62,500sqm of employment space with a mixture of start-up and larger units, creating between 500 and 1,000 jobs.

Challenge

The communications challenge was twofold: careful consultation was needed with the owner of a Grade II listed house immediately adjacent to the site, along with existing tenants and nearby residents. Additionally, a neighbouring distribution centre had already sought and gained planning permission for much of our client’s land.

Solution

• Meetings were held with the owner of the adjacent Grade II listed building.

• A consultation webpage was set up explaining the benefits of the proposal to as wide an audience as possible.

• We communicated with existing tenants and key political stakeholders stressing the benefits and deliverability of the proposal.

• We presented the proposals to North Warwickshire Borough Council Planning and Development Board.

• A public exhibition was held to enable key political and community stakeholders along with residents to view the proposals. SP Broadway drafted a Report on Community Engagement submitted with the planning application.

Result

The Planning and Development Board voted unanimously to approve the application.

The post Regional distribution centre appeared first on SP Broadway.

SP Broadway was asked by two pension funds to provide political, community and media relations support to secure planning permission to increase the retail footprint of their out-of-town shopping centre in Medway, Kent by 21,500 sq ft in 2010 and again in 2012/13 for a similar amount of A3 space.

Communications Challenge

The communications challenge posed problems from a community perspective: the scheme saw a decrease in on-site parking in a very residential neighbourhood. Political complications were added through the ward councillor also being Council Leader, and his wife chairing the Planning Committee: clearly without their joint support we would struggle.

Solution

• SP Broadway briefed the local residents’ association and key political stakeholders to understand the level of community support and identify key issues of concern.

• A public exhibition was held which attracted 1, 576 members of the public over two days. SP Broadway analysed 118 feedback forms, and established 92% support.

• We used residents’ feedback to refine the scheme and turn constructive criticism into positive support, organising a pre-committee briefing to members in association with council officers.

Result

After successful pre-committee briefings, including a meeting with the Ward Councillor/ Council Leader, the first scheme was consented. After further political briefings, a subsequent planning application for A3 use was consented by 13 votes to 1.

The post Shopping centre extension appeared first on SP Broadway.

An energy company was seeking to gain consent on a 4-turbine wind farm near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. SP Broadway was brought on board to undertake political and community consultation to ensure our client’s application complied with consultation best practice.

Challenge

The proposals were opposed by a dedicated and vocal group of local residents.

Solution

• SP Broadway initially met with Councillors and Parish Council representatives from the six villages that neighbour the site, following these initial briefings SP Broadway drafted and sent out a letter of invitation to a public exhibition to 2961 residents, retail and commercial premises.

• Throughout the project we liaised with supportive local residents.

• We hosted an exhibition with a total of 268 residents recorded in attendance. 138 feedback forms were completed and most of those who did – 55.07% – said they were either supportive or very supportive of renewable energy. 43.47% of people also said that they were either supportive or very supportive of wind power. The exhibition boards were subsequently placed on a special Wind Farm website, set up at SP Broadway’s urging.

Result

Meteorological mast application

Our client submitted an application to erect a temporary meteorological mast to test wind speed prior to the main turbine application. To aid the application SP Broadway drafted and circulated a letter to all Councillors on the Aylesbury Vale District Council Development Control Committee, explaining about the specifics of the met mast and why Councillors ought to support its construction. Despite intense lobbying, councillors voted to support the application.

Wind farm application

The Aylesbury Vale District Council Strategic Development Control Committee met to decide on the application: the first of many wind turbine applications in the Aylesbury Vale area.

The decision split along party lines with the Conservative majority (6) supporting Officers’ recommendations on landscape, residential amenity and access grounds; and Lib Dem councillors (3) seeking to overturn the Officers’ recommendation.

The post Wind farm appeared first on SP Broadway.

SP Broadway was instructed by a food-led commercial development company to undertake a concise programme of political and community consultation to support the redevelopment of a site on the outskirts of Petersfield to house a 40,000 sq ft supermarket, along with a relocation of the existing fencing factory (and jobs) to an out-of-town location.

Challenge

Set within a built-up residential area, and with Waitrose already established in the town centre, concern was raised among residents and politicians over the negative impact the change-of-use might have on residents in neighbouring streets.

Solution

• SP Broadway prepared a Political and Community Stakeholder Survey identifying the political makeup of Petersfield and East Hampshire, which enabled us to devise a political and community engagement strategy to understand the level of community support and key issues of concern.

• Applying a ‘bottom-up’ approach, we held a series of one-to-one meetings with key political and community stakeholders at town, district, county and parliamentary level to understand their views.

• We hosted a two-day public exhibition, with over 300 people attending and 164 filling in feedback forms.

• 76.2% of people supported the principle of the factory moving to secure its future and protect local jobs. This statistic was vital in gaining political and community support.

Result

Across-the-board stakeholder communications – meetings with residents, political briefings, the public exhibition and liaison with newspaper editors – established widespread support for the factory’s move to new purpose-built premises,’opening up’ a retail opportunity in the area.

The post New food store appeared first on SP Broadway.