Creams Mill.
Achieving planning approval through a public consultation
Thechallenge.
Rumpus was appointed by Watson to manage a full public consultation campaign for the Creams Mill & Hall Lane development.
The public consultation was to support a planning application in Little Lever for a major new affordable housing development and regeneration of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal. Due to coronavirus restrictions, the consultation was delivered online – a first for Watson and for Rumpus.
Our objectives were to deliver a robust communications and digital strategy for the online public consultation, and prepare a full engagement strategy for an online public consultation, a new phenomenon for the industry.
We also needed to deliver evaluated quantitative and qualitative data and produce a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), in line with planning application requirements, and coordinate all media, including local, regional and trade press, as well as deliver print advertising and marketing collateral.
Insightand strategy.
With the traditional method of delivering a public consultation negated by the pandemic, our focus was to deliver a digital solution, ensuring the integrity of the process was maintained successfully.
The creation of a website as a hub to collate all information was imperative to facilitate the process. We used all digital channels to ensure we effectively targeted the local community, which would be impacted by the proposed development.
Results
Residents engaged
Homes approved
Public consultation managed and delivered
Website hub built and launched
Ourexecution.
We set up an online survey and garnered responses from the local community; this gave us the platform to interact with and communicate effectively with local residents. Throughout the process, we had consistent and clear communication with all stakeholders, which resulted in a robust public consultation and the delivery of a comprehensive Statement of Community Involvement.
We secured key coverage in regional press, including Bolton News and Manchester Evening News, in order for the development to be recognised by the local community and ensure a positive public perception. We used trade press to further establish Watson’s brand recognition.
All PR activity formed a core part of the Statement of Community Involvement, a vital element of the planning application.
Measurableimpact.
Planning permission was achieved for the 255 homes and the regeneration of the canal.