We have been experimenting with an approach called Cross-pollination which aims to create a simple mechanism for such conversations, and for mapping local assets and initiatives. We have found that one of the things that people have valued most in this process is that they simply learn more about what is happening in their area. This knowledge is... See more

One of the great advantages of a place-based conversation is that it can bring together initiatives of different scales led by different sectors.

The truth is that there are very few opportunities for communities to come together to talk about how their place is working outside formal planning consultation processes that ask people to respond to change that is already well underway. We have found that creating a conversation which starts from a broader look at how a place is working or could... See more

One of the first observations that emerged from these conversations was that people don’t think of their local places and neighbourhoods in terms of political or site boundaries. More often than not, perceptions of neighbourhood borders, and of the elements that fit together to make up a neighbourhood, differ from person to person, and vary... See more

The Benefits of Place-based Conversations

Our experience of working with locally based communities is that the majority of them would really welcome a conversation about their neighbourhood in broad terms, and that through a more holistic dialogue about their area, they are better able to make informed contributions to conversations about specific... See more

This can lead to a few different challenges:

Engagement being seen as a barrier rather than a resource : The statutory requirement for consultation on schemes, means that it is inevitably seen as a box to tick to achieve planning consent.

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This project-based approach to design engagement often invites local people and organisations into dialogue to speak about a project operating with limited budgets and timescales for engagement, and under immense pressure to move the project through a series of design and planning stages, in alignment with political calendars and with local and... See more