Registration and refreshments
08:45 to
09:30
Chair’s welcome and opening remarks
09:30 to
09:40
Looking ahead to 2025 – preparing for future challenges facing the delivery of successful consultation and engagement
09:40 to
10:05
- What does current political context mean for future consultation?
- What will future consultation look like?
- Anticipating external trends that will have an impact on consultation and engagement
- How is public perception of infrastructure project changing in 2025?
Panel discussion: Considering future direction of consultation – how will speeding up the planning process and future reforms affect consultation for new infrastructure projects?
10:05 to
10:55
- The impact of project speed on the consultation and engagement process – what do reduced project timelines mean for engagement?
- What does a new pre-application service mean for future consultation
- Learning from consultation in 2024, how is engagement changing?
Morning networking and refreshments
10:55 to
11:25
Exceeding consultation requirements to meet community expectations - effectively explaining your consultation objectives to the public
11:25 to
11:50
- How many rounds of consultations are needed?
- Upcoming changes to consulting with statutory consultees
- Going beyond requirements - balancing public expectations and planning policy
- Working with budgetary and time constrains to design a successful strategy
Innovative new approaches to stakeholder mapping - improved methods of identifying key stakeholders
11:50 to
12:15
- Leveraging stakeholder mapping into proactive engagement
- Technological solutions streamlining stakeholder research and engagement
- Understanding the values and interests of your stakeholders to build genuine relationships
Stakeholder perspective – effectively working together to ensure greater collaboration and inputting into engagement
12:15 to
12:40
- How do stakeholders see their role throughout the consultation and engagement process?
- What do stakeholders expect from developers?
- Understanding the obstacles faced by local stakeholders when establishing successful collaboration
- Ensuring consistent engagement at different stages of project development
Networking Lunch
12:40 to
13:40
Driving local involvement – engaging the community in the decision-making process
13:40 to
14:05
- How to facilitate peer to peer engagement - creating bottom-up support for your project
- Understanding interest groups and community champions who can mediate local concerns
- Building trust with the community to overcome future challenges faced throughout project delivery
Increasing accessibility of consultation to broaden responses and promote greater inclusivity
14:05 to
14:30
- Leveraging the latest innovations to connect with seldom heard groups
- Best methods to reduce barriers for participation – improving data and information access
- Choosing accessible meeting times and formats for engagement
Embedding social value into your project – using consultation and engagement to demonstrate project’s benefits
14:30 to
14:55
- Understanding what the local area needs and reflecting this into your communication strategy
- Effectively presenting social value outcomes to communities
- How can social value be measured? - What are the social value metrics to consider?
Afternoon networking and refreshments
14:55 to
15:25
Case study: successfully engaging with communities digitally
15:25 to
15:50
- Using digital tools to bring communities on the project journey
- Ensuring transparency and open dialogue
- Results and lessons learnt
Panel Discussion: Practical advice for developers – learning lessons from different types of infrastructure
15:50 to
16:40
- How different sectors overcome common challenges faced during consultation process
- Successes and models that can be applied to new projects
- Engaging local communities in wide areas with multiple projects
- Beyond formal engagement – new creative opportunities for designing a consultation strategy
Ensuring ongoing engagement and messaging throughout project development and onto delivery
16:40 to
17:05
- Challenges in maintaining communication throughout project lifecycle
- Adapting key messaging based on evolving audience support and project timeline
- Conducting long-term engagement from pre application to post consent and delivery
Chair’s closing remarks
17:05 to
17:15
Close of conference and networking drinks
17:15 to
18:00