Winning public support for major factory-to-homes developments
"We have worked with Hopwood on a couple of major regeneration projects in the East Midlands where they have been in charge of comprehensive public consultation. Their remit included the design and production of leaflets, banners and displays on the exhibition as well as liaising with local councillors, stakeholders and interest groups. Their local knowledge was very useful and ensured an inclusive distribution in the relevant neighbourhoods. Hopwood staff explained the projects in person to interested members of the public and recorded feedback in summary reports. These were helpful to both the planning authorities when determining applications and the design team when progressing the schemes. We enjoyed working with Hopwood and found they quickly understood the key issues of the sites. Hopwood presented our designs and our clients' ambitions in an open and approachable way, suited to the character of the individual neighbourhoods."
- Nils Feldmann, Design Director, Marchini Curran Associates, architects
The Leicester project centred on the former British United Shoe Machinery works in the city's Belgrave district, one of the densest areas of ethnic minority population in one of Europe's most multicultural cities. We naturally chose the Peepul Centre, a new location built with Lottery Funding, as the venue for the display on this project.
Local people and councillors responded well to the display materials and literature produced for the exercise, and planners subsequently gave the project the green light.
The Aida development in Derby took place in a more controversial context. Previous plans for the site had met with stiff opposition from a vocal and well-organised local residents' group.
The challenge was to show how the architects had responded to people's concerns with the latest plans and to ensure that all local people had the opportunity to see the plans and make up their own minds.
To do this, the event was promoted by direct mail to local postcodes and hopwood used its PR expertise to deal with local journalists, and ensure fair coverage of the proposals. In Leicester and Derby, hopwood staff were fully briefed on the projects so that they were able to staff both exhibitions and answer questions from the public on behalf of the developers.
