Community involvement is now recognised as a vitally important factor in the creation of socially sustainable designed environments. A variety of interest groups and stakeholders bringing different viewpoints and experience to the table can make a positive contribution to the design process, and it is vital that their voices are heard.

Community Engagement and Public Consultation is a one-day conference exploring best practice in setting up and executing public consultations. Attend this event to hear an exciting line-up of presentations from specialists actively involved in public consultation work. You will receive an overview of how architects need to approach this vital aspect of bidding for work and winning planning approval.

Get to grips with the statement of community involvement
The Government is pushing for architects and planners to be more open and responsive to local people when planning the built environment. To this end, a statement of community involvement must now be submitted as part of the planning application, demonstrating how the stakeholders have been consulted. Attend this essential new conference to find out how this affects you.

Succeed at public consultation
Many attempts at community engagement fail because organisations are unclear about who should be listened to and how all the needs of the various stakeholders and interest groups can be met. As a result, some stakeholder groups can become disillusioned and frustrated at the level of input they actually have in the decision-making process. This can even lead to negative feedback such as petitions, press campaigns and political fall-out. Reduce the risks associated with community involvement and stay one step ahead by attending this unmissable event from The Architects’ Journal.

Key topics to be addressed:
. An explanation of the Statement of Community Involvement and its impact on the planning process
. How to set up and get the most from public consultations
. Discover how to engage the right people in public consultation
. How to avoid negative feedback and cultivate a positive response
. An in-depth look at consultation projects across a number of different sectors
. How to get ‘buy in’ from the community for your sustainable scheme

Who should attend:
Architects, planners, developers, local authorities, consultants and anyone involved in the design and development of public sector developments.