Working with Communities
As an independent charity we can also act as a broker between communities and agencies or other stakeholders, when views on potential solutions differ. Often an impartial outsider can encourage both sides to see things slightly differently and to find a way forward together.
Areas in which we work include:
We help stakeholders in seeking public feedback on proposals or involving the community in the ongoing management of an area. This ensures people’s views are represented in planning and other decision making processes and that areas can be protected and enhanced for future generations to enjoy. Our involvement can range from hosting public meetings and drop-in sessions to running involvement workshops, leading walkabouts and activities in an area, or speaking with local interest groups on a wide variety of topics.
We can assist in finding a new use for individual buildings working with the owner, other stakeholders and the users of the building (both current and potential). We believe that there is little point in saving a building if it cannot be of use or provide some other benefit to the local community. The views of local people will play an important part as we explore possibilities for difficult buildings and sites.
We have developed a series of activities to increase the capacity of local groups to get involved in their built environment. We have been at the forefront in the region of new ways of engaging local people in conservation area work, and bringing them together with planning and design professionals to share knowledge and understanding about the future development of places. We have also successfully adapted national programmes such as Placecheck and Village Design Statements to deliver award-winning community involvement projects in the north east.
