Top tips for designing your consultation strategy

Designing an effective consultation strategy is key to supporting the development of any new infrastructure project. Get it right, and you can help your project progress with minimal obstructions, gaining supportive ambassadors along the way. Get it wrong, and communities may feel unrepresented or unheard, potentially leading to costly delays.

On 22 October 2024, Waterfront Conference Company held its annual Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement for Infrastructure event in London to explore this issue and provide attendees with critical, industry-leading insight on designing and delivering a successful consultation strategy for their projects.

Speakers from National Grid, RWE Renewables, SSE Thermal, Cadent Gas, ScottishPower Renewables and Bute Energy shared their advice and innovative techniques for effectively engaging communities.

Here are some of the key takeaways.

1. Identify and engage key community groups well-positioned to support your project:

At an early stage, you should understand who your community champions are and design the consultation process to reflect their input. Make sure they have a say, not only on the project proposal but also on how the community would like to be engaged with.

Being as active as possible in the local area will enable you to connect with stakeholders and understand the community’s priorities. Attend parish council meetings, community forums and cultural events to improve relationships locally and build trust. This will allow you to gain key insight on the area and align your communication methods with the residents’ preferences.

 

2. Strengthen collaboration among developers working in your region:

If multiple projects are being proposed in the same areas, it is crucial to improve collaboration with other developers. By establishing a coordinated approach to consulting communities, you can successfully address the issue of cumulative impacts.

Consider creating a board of developers in the area to present a united front. This will allow you to conduct joint community engagement so that local residents don’t feel overwhelmed by the number of events and information being shared. Through greater collaboration, you can develop a consistent message on how the various projects can collectively enhance the area.

 

3. Simplify complex information:

Understand how to explain complex information regarding lesser-known technologies to key stakeholders and local areas.

This can be done through using consultation materials that are accessible and easy to read. Consider different media, such as brochures or animations, which local NGOs, SMEs and cultural associations can share to broaden the engagement reach.

 

4. Integrate and demonstrate social value outcomes in your proposal:

It’s useful to showcase the social and economic benefits of your scheme.

For example, you could provide the residents with the opportunity to invest in the proposed projects by setting up a trust that receives annual returns based on the development’s productivity. Using the local supply chain during the construction phase also demonstrates a commitment to regional economic growth. Alternatively, you can assist other initiatives that are not related to your scheme, but have been identified as key community priorities.

 

Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement for Infrastructure will return next year to explore the changing approaches that you can adopt to successfully conduct consultations for your projects.

Make sure you secure your place to stay informed about the latest strategies to improve engagement and the consultation process.

Alternatively, drop us a line to find out how we can help support your engagement strategy.