Case study - School Conversion
Situation: Our client called us in after they ran into serious planning difficulties at a residential education centre they had bought some 18 months before our involvement. The site had previously been a private boarding school.
Background: Our client had changed and developed the centre (based in the Lake District) without due care and attention to the planning constraints and approvals needed. They were in a mess.
They faced a vocal, hostile, well-organised and well-funded residents group whose sole aim was to see our clients’ operation closed down – period.
Our role: With a £multi-million investment in serious trouble, our client asked us to step in to help repair the damage already done to its reputation – and to help turn around local opinion sufficiently to allow them to continue to operate.
Timescale: Jan 2003 – on-going
What we did: We undertook a detailed analysis of the local area, identifying the degrees of impact (real &/or perceived) on local people. This was conducted in partnership with a planning consultancy called in at the same time as we were engaged.
We researched and identified the leading individuals in the campaign to thwart our clients’ plans.
We conducted a detailed political audit – from the local MP right down to and including the individual members of the local Parish Council. Naturally this audit included comprehensive information about every individual member of the City Council’s Planning & Development Committee – and the council officers serving that committee.
We also identified candidates for upcoming local elections. We identified their party political stance regarding our client but more pertinently we identified their own personal ‘take’ on the situation.
(An example of the value of this detailed analysis: Early on we identified one particular candidate who had narrowly lost in a previous local council election. He campaigned hard on the ‘centre’ issue for the May 04 election, won the council seat – and was promptly appointed to a vacant post on the City Council Planning Committee. We couldn’t prevent that process, but we ensured our client received no nasty surprises, either in that instance, or indeed with any other changes to the make up of the committee)
We undertook a series of detailed briefings with the regional media, who until our involvement had had 18 months of receiving just one version of events – from the protestors. We successfully changed the approach of the most influential local daily newspaper, achieving balanced and fair coverage of the situation where it had not previously existed.
We briefed the senior management team (and local managers) on developments from a media and community perspective.
We shielded them from difficult media intrusions, briefed them to handle media enquiries with our help – and for the first time opened up clear channels of communication with the local media. (The objective here was to prove – if somewhat late in the day – that our client was a responsible company with an enlightened and co-operative outlook).
In time we were able to portray the chief objectors as extreme in their aims – and not truly representative of the feelings of the local community.
Outcome: At the time of writing (November 2004) this case is still to fully run its course.
Via numerous planning applications, objections, refusals and appeals, the case finally went to Public Inquiry in Summer 2004.
The situation is now so improved that – so long as our client can demonstrate compliance with a number of technical requirements – they look set to be granted final permission to continue operating without further undue hindrance.
Client: Nationwide provider of educational study centres
Situation: Our client called us in after they ran into serious planning difficulties at a residential education centre they had bought some 18 months before our involvement. The site had previously been a private boarding school.
Background: Our client had changed and developed the centre (based in the Lake District) without due care and attention to the planning constraints and approvals needed. They were in a mess.
They faced a vocal, hostile, well-organised and well-funded residents group whose sole aim was to see our clients’ operation closed down – period.
Our role: With a £multi-million investment in serious trouble, our client asked us to step in to help repair the damage already done to its reputation – and to help turn around local opinion sufficiently to allow them to continue to operate.
Timescale: Jan 2003 – on-going
What we did: We undertook a detailed analysis of the local area, identifying the degrees of impact (real &/or perceived) on local people. This was conducted in partnership with a planning consultancy called in at the same time as we were engaged.
We researched and identified the leading individuals in the campaign to thwart our clients’ plans.
We conducted a detailed political audit – from the local MP right down to and including the individual members of the local Parish Council. Naturally this audit included comprehensive information about every individual member of the City Council’s Planning & Development Committee – and the council officers serving that committee.
We also identified candidates for upcoming local elections. We identified their party political stance regarding our client but more pertinently we identified their own personal ‘take’ on the situation.
(An example of the value of this detailed analysis: Early on we identified one particular candidate who had narrowly lost in a previous local council election. He campaigned hard on the ‘centre’ issue for the May 04 election, won the council seat – and was promptly appointed to a vacant post on the City Council Planning Committee. We couldn’t prevent that process, but we ensured our client received no nasty surprises, either in that instance, or indeed with any other changes to the make up of the committee)
We undertook a series of detailed briefings with the regional media, who until our involvement had had 18 months of receiving just one version of events – from the protestors. We successfully changed the approach of the most influential local daily newspaper, achieving balanced and fair coverage of the situation where it had not previously existed.
We briefed the senior management team (and local managers) on developments from a media and community perspective.
We shielded them from difficult media intrusions, briefed them to handle media enquiries with our help – and for the first time opened up clear channels of communication with the local media. (The objective here was to prove – if somewhat late in the day – that our client was a responsible company with an enlightened and co-operative outlook).
In time we were able to portray the chief objectors as extreme in their aims – and not truly representative of the feelings of the local community.
Outcome: At the time of writing (November 2004) this case is still to fully run its course.
Via numerous planning applications, objections, refusals and appeals, the case finally went to Public Inquiry in Summer 2004.
The situation is now so improved that – so long as our client can demonstrate compliance with a number of technical requirements – they look set to be granted final permission to continue operating without further undue hindrance.