Public consultation - any advice?

[Daniel H]

Hi all

 

We're building on a derelict site in the centre of a beautiful Peak District village. Despite our belief that we're designing sensitively, we are very aware that we're Londoners coming up and disturbing the peace. In a spirit of openness and neighbourliness we've booked the village pub on Friday evening, produced some information boards and even made a scale model of the part of the village the build is in. There's a QR code people can use to offer some feedback in a an online form.

 

Just wondering if there's any wisdom on the forum about this kind of event, any dos and don'ts, watchouts or top tips. We're keen to put this into the D&A statement, surface any concerns that we can address in the design or planning docs, and even try to get Parish Council support for the design. But it will be easy to put our foot in it, so keen it goes well. 

 

Any thoughts appreciated! Thank you!

[joe90]

What an admirable thing to do, you will get opposition (nimbys) but hopefully locals will see you as interested in local opinion, best of luck, post back please.

[Iceverge]

Good luck. 

 

Humans fickle species better, more lightly to be won over by charm than logic. 

People often object not because they have any particular gripe against the architecture, but rather that they are afraid of being irrelevant and ignored. 

 

You might have every bit as much success if you have a chat and take a genuine interest in your neighbours and their lives, jobs kids hobbies etc rather than the QR code.

 

Let us know how it goes anyway. 

 

PS. please share your (de-identified) drawing etc. We're a helpful lot here but need payment in voyeuristic house pics!!

 

 

[G and J]

Definitely the way to go....in a very small way we did something similar.

 

We bought a very tired bungalow, which was a probate sale. Our plan to demolish and build a house on footprint with similarities to house next door. We shared design ideas with the immediate neighbours before planning, and then just before planning went in we did a letter drop to the road "we are......we're planning to.....doing it to become our home.....appreciate will cause you disruption.......contact no.s"  etc

 

The reaction was mixed, inc. no reaction from some and did generate some subjective objections, but also was a great way to get to know the new neighbours, had coffee with a number, on chatting terms with more way before actually starting (we still haven't demolished) so was definitely a positive.

 

The other thing we learnt is that the "quiet ones" are sometimes the most vociferous in their WRITTEN objections and whilst welcoming feedback its' best not to position your plans in terms of it all being open to change (you will have some basics that are red lines for you and you won't necessarily be able to please everyone......at one point each if our neighbours were pushing for the ASHP to be on the other boundary!)

 

Finally don't take it personally, whatever the reaction now, when the dust settles people will respect you for having done it.

 

Hope it goes well

[G and J]

9 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

 

You might have every bit as much success if you have a chat and take a genuine interest in your neighbours

 

9 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

please share your (de-identified) drawing etc. We're a helpful lot here but need payment in voyeuristic house pics!!

 

Agree with both of these!

[Daniel H]

Thanks for these thoughts so far. We also reckon relationships are important so have been a few times, tried to tidy up the site a bit, and generally started to introduce ourselves. I have been in touch with a few neighbours over the last few months too.

 

You're right about being interested in them as people - we're moving into a community and I'm excited to get to know people and become part of life. I have a spreadsheet of names and addresses, and key bits of info people have shared with us.

 

Most people are so happy the eyesore will be dealt with that we've had a lot of enthusiasm - albeit not with any sight of the proposed designs yet.

 

And I reckon we'll have a few people who are upset, and that's life. I'm more worried about the tough Planning Department (and we can have a whole new conversation about that in due course!) In that context, your idea @G and J is super - we will definitely get ahead of the planning process and do a letter drop round the area. Hopefully it will encourage positive representation.

 

There are some lovely boards we have made, so I will post them up when the event has happened - plus they're a big file and the forum won't allow me to upload them as they are now. You will get your voyeuristic fix soon enough, @Iceverge!

[Ferdinand]

It's good to engage, but have an idea in your back pocket as to what you will do if someone turns rancid on you.

Do not make anything that could be interpreted as a promise, as someone may 'remember' later.

It may be helpful to do an occasional letter or 'newsletter' drop later on.

When it is all over, do something to make the end of disruption. It could be bottles of wine to near neighbours or a Bar-B-Q or a Hog Roast. If you are in Hope could it be a wine tasting at the local Vineyard or in the local church hall or similar, or get Hope Silver Band to do a free concert at the next hinge point in the year such as Christmas or Easter or Well Dressing? If you have spent 6 figures on a house, it's probably worth £250 or £400 to mark properly moving in to the community.

If it's in Foolow volunteer to be Deputy Duck Warden? (!)

Ferdinand

[Daniel H]

Thanks @Ferdinand - it's in Bamford, so the Hope Silver Band idea is super. We're on The Green, and it's directly in front of the Well Dressing, so people will definitely know it - it's very prominent (another planning challenge!)

 

The site has extant Planning Permission which is the 'fallback option' so we've tried to have a principle of always improving on that design (which isn't hard - it's horrible!) but in terms of daylighting to the neighbours etc.

 

You're right on the 'promise' - I have tried really hard not to! 

 

Will feed back after Friday!

[Bozza]

I’ve never bought the argument of “it’s my land, my house and sod the neighbours”.   I think you’re doing the right thing.
 

Architecture is an art form and as such everyone has a subjective view.   The best way to get the neighbours on side in that respect is to try to make the design as sympathetic as possible eg nod to local architecture, materials, roof lines etc  - like you say sensitive to the area.  It doesn’t surprise me when someone has problems trying to build a German box amongst village cottages.    try to avoid the question “do you like it”. Maybes “do you think we’re trying to be sympathetic in terms of size, material etc”  or “do you like the fact we’re using local stone” etc.

 

The second issue to flush out and potential technical issues eg road access, drainage etc.  things that could scupper your plans.   Locals may highlight legitimate things you weren’t aware of that could scupper planning approval. 

 

Building up a relationship with your neighbours in a new small community is vital.    When speaking to individuals ask them “how does this build impact on you personally”.   That gives them an opportunity to speak up any hidden concerns and allows you effectively assess that risk and implement mitigation measures.

eg next door neighbour tells you they are a night shift worker and worried about noise disturbance.   Though that wouldn’t impact on PP that person could object on more substantive factors as a means to an end.
 

Lastly having a good relationship can have advantages.  My new neighbours helped me out with diggers, and disposal of many tonnage of spoil.    One neighbour was happy to chop down an unwanted tree and take the firewood.  
 

You are right about the perceptions of certain communities being suspicious about incomers.    It’s not about accent so much or where you’re coming from it’s more about they just don’t want loud obnoxious arrogant d#cks coming into their community and spoiling it.  There are substantial differences between living in big cities and the rural communities, in terms of relationship with neighbours. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ferdinand]

@Daniel H . Yes, it could be something really simple, like sponsoring a Silver Band subset for an hour's concert on Well Dressing Festival Day, and everyone will have good memories of you. Just take care not to end up sponsoring it every year until 2057, which in that type of place just sort of happens without you noticing.

I always enjoyed Bamford - I did much of my Duke of Edinburgh awarding in the area. And I love doing the cycle run around Ladybower and up to Slippery Stones and down the other side.

It's somewhere I always thought I might like a holiday cottage for weekending and renting.

I have a painting of Hope Valley I bought in the area, when I lunched one day at Hope Chest in the 1980s. It was run by a pair of retired lady teachers who reminded me of Hinge and Bracket.

Have you cycled up, or sledged down, Bamford Clough yet?
 

 

[Daniel H]

Wow, @Ferdinand - that's so funny. I had no idea. I mean, sure I know it's steep (the rock climbing is at the top!) but not world-record steep!

 

@Bozza - really appreciate your thoughts. It will be so helpful to hear about any issues (we already learned there is a sewage pipe under the site 🙃) and love the idea of carefully and gently asking for risks so that we can mitigate them. We already had a good one on craned deliveries during school drop off and pick up time.

[Bozza]

1 hour ago, Daniel H said:

Wow, @Ferdinand - that's so funny. I had no idea. I mean, sure I know it's steep (the rock climbing is at the top!) but not world-record steep!

 

@Bozza - really appreciate your thoughts. It will be so helpful to hear about any issues (we already learned there is a sewage pipe under the site 🙃) and love the idea of carefully and gently asking for risks so that we can mitigate them. We already had a good one on craned deliveries during school drop off and pick up time.

ok so if you provide a list of issues at your meeting (effectively a community impact assessment) that you’ve already identified to the attendees, like the sewage pipe & school drop, plus your mitigating measures planned, then that will send a positive message to those attending in terms of your considerate approach.   Have blank spaces on your assessment so you can note specific concerns and indicate you are looking to address them Effectively what you’re doing is flushing out any concerns and potentially resolving them prior to your PP.  This reduces the chances of objections and increase chances of support.

 

if your plot perhaps borders any public communal areas or open space you may with to consider perhaps donating some planting or a bench that kind of thing.  Or a donation to the community council to put some thing in to the community.  Nominal gesture, but as a thank you for your support and apology for the disruption.  hearts and minds and all that.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Daniel H]

The event went really well. We had a lot of positive feedback and some clear next steps. Thanks for the advice and support.

 

I think your idea of a community impact assessment is good @Bozza - we'll use that as a way in to the Parish Council when we see them in December. 

 

There's some issue with uploading the jpgs of the consultation boards, so I am going to have to leave it this time and figure out a way to do it when I have a second. 

[saveasteading]

31 minutes ago, Daniel H said:

the Parish Council when we see them in

Simply making a short statement to the PC does a lot in showing you are a real, local person. It gives them a chance to ask questions too.

It shouldn't be the case, but councillors are influenced by applicant presence...in favour if you are pleasant and reasonable and keep it brief.  3 minutes is very little.

The pc opinion is not binding on the planners at all, but can influence their decision.