Local residents really can help your project…

Community engagement is now enshrined in the planning process. But what if you go further and cast the community in the role of client? An £800,000 environmental improvement project in Brighton has demonstrated that empowering the community can deliver benefits. Here’s how it worked.

The project

In contract value terms, the Brighton project was small. However the importance of the project was to act as the catalyst for a larger regeneration initiative providing a community of new housing, retail and community facilities. In the Moulsecoomb eb4U New Deal for Communities area of east Brighton, a homezone and landscaped area with seating has been created in Hodshrove Lane to combat car congestion and improve access to amenities, notably the local primary school.

How were the community engaged?

Architect Broadway Malyan and client Brighton and Hove council wanted the project to be led by the community, and selected 12 community design champions, all of whom gave their input and time on a volunteer basis.

The architect’s regeneration team arranged for the community design champions to attend a two-day course at the University of Brighton to teach them the basics of architecture and development, including such topics as: what is good design, funding, project management and development phasing.

Initially, the community panel’s role as client mainly involved shaping the design brief and quizzing the architect on its design principles, but it was subsequently extended into the procurement process.

Albert Golding, director of regeneration at Broadway Malyan, explains: “I thought we could go further and take them [the panel] into the procurement process. I spoke to the council and they were cautious but, given the ‘best practice’ sustainable community emphasis of the programme, saw the benefit of having residents involved throughout the development process.” The architect and the council decided that the community panel’s remit would be to sit in on contractor interviews, participate in monthly design and construction meetings and quiz contractors on issues that would impact on them, such as how hardcore would be moved off site.

Who came forward from the community?

All volunteers were women and all were already fairly committed to local regeneration through involvement with the eb4U Community Partnership.

What changes did the community make?

Golding says the residents did have an impact on day-to-day decisions. For example, the architect wanted the homezone’s roadway and pavement to be on the same level. Residents thought differently, Golding explains: “We expected resistance from the council’s highways engineers but the residents were also nervous. They were concerned that we were creating a pedestrian zone, but with cars in, and that it could be potentially unsafe. So the drop kerbs went in. If we had not been consulting with the residents, we would have persevered with our initial proposal.”

Was it successful for the community?

Four of the 12 residents found the going tough and dropped out of the panel in the early stages of the project. Those who continued became enthusiastic about regeneration. Golding says: “Towards the end of the project, residents asked us why the project could not go further. We had a discussion about funding, and they asked if we could find more money. Their expectations have been raised and the remainder of the regeneration of the area now needs to be delivered.”

The architect is now talking to another local authority about engaging with its community in a similar way.