Embracing public participation in infrastructure planning and delivery

By Anna Grutzner *

The less invasive nature of trenchless excavation works has much to commend it in helping to win community support for infrastructure projects. Yet it's not as simple as providing factual, technical information to the general public to allay concerns about proposed works in its backyard.

The public expects to be actively engaged in the decisions that affect where communities live, work, travels, send their children to school and pursue their leisure activities. Which is where the concept of public participation comes in as a framework for and complement to both actual project delivery and supporting communications.
 

The what and the why

Public participation is a process that variously involves the public in information sharing, problem solving and/or decision-making, using public input to make better decisions. The tools can include public relations, market research, consultation, negotiation and conflict resolution, media relations and organisational development.

It may seem an enormous ask when a project is being coordinated on a major scale, driven to tight timelines or budgets, or faces significant technical challenges. Yet in precisely such circumstances it's a far riskier strategy to question: "Can we afford to involve the community?" than to conclude "We cannot afford not to involve the community”.

The following case studies showcase some of the public participation initiatives that are being pursued by leading organisations involved in infrastructure development around the world.

Talking the community’s language: An Australian experience

Running 24-hour operations in a big city, urban environment is no mean feat when a key project objective is to minimise the potential impacts on the community. This is the challenge that has faced the Northern Sewerage Project (NSP) in building much-needed sewerage capacity across Melbourne’s rapidly growing northern suburbs. NSP is a joint Melbourne Water-Yarra Valley Water project with John Holland Group undertaking the 13km construction works, Connell Wagner as project managers and SKM-Jacobs as design partners.

NSP Community relations Manager Trent Woodberry has said: “Many of our project sites are located in densely populated areas, meaning that community engagement is of the utmost importance.”

Talking with the community began at the planning and design phases and has continued throughout construction. Community forums, house-to-house doorknocking and invitations for residents and business owners to tour sites have been employed to inform and keep the community onside. In a part of Melbourne with a large Italian and Greek demographic, the use of translators and materials in key community languages have been important. The project also worked with local councils to identify specific CALD (cultural & linguistic diversity) communities along the pipeline route.

It has taken a best practice approach to consulting at the micro level with impacted residents street by street. Where a strong case has existed for special support, the company has acted to address the issue. For example, it had a new front fence built for a mother fearing for her young children’s safety with heavy trucks regularly using her street. The home of a nightshift worker exposed to sustained daytime noise received double-glazing.

One of the nicest community engagements was in the form of an invitation to local primary school children to name the three Tunnel Boring Machines, which is how Victoria (TBM1), Gemma (TBM2) and Julia (TBM3) came into being!
 

Working with local business: A UK experience

The impact on trade can be a very real threat to local businesses in close proximity to major infrastructure works. Severn Trent Water has recognised this significant issue in its $2.8 million investment in replacing a centuries’ old sewer system under Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

The water company’s local contractors, Whitehouse Construction, are about to begin the final phase, which is imperative and unavoidably coincides with the busy period for local business leading up to Christmas. Making life as easy as possible for business, transport, residents and visitors is a high priority.

The project partners have worked closely with local traders to accommodate Christmas late night shopping and Royal Shrovetide Football, a popular local event and tourist attraction to maintain trade. Temporary access routes have been planned to a leisure centre during works, and plans to ensure access to the busy Sainsbury’s supermarket are underway.

Face-to-face meetings, letterbox drops, local newspaper ads, and Council and road authority meetings have been used to update the community on project developments. A project contact is available to address concerns 24 hours a day.

Severn Trent is also aware that trading losses might result from necessary road closures and diversions. They have spoken about their duty to compensate any such loss of profits, and booklets explaining the claim and compensation procedure are readily available.

Speaking at a local meeting, Brell Ewart of Whitehouse Construction, explained: "One of the benefits of being employed by Severn Trent is that our people come from the town and we have a vested interested - local people doing local work and putting money back into the town through the employment of local people."

Multiple community forums: A US experience

Public participation has been a key project element throughout delivery of the Rockies Express-East (REX-East) natural gas pipeline, a joint development of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, Sempra Pipelines & Storage and ConocoPhilips. The pipeline runs for 638 miles (1,027kms) across three states and 14 counties, and features 24 HDD river crossings from Audrain County, Missouri to Clarington, Ohio.

At the outset, REX–East hosted community open houses to present the project to affected landowners and stakeholders, and continues to solicit input from landowners, community leaders, and citizens through face-to-face meetings, a toll-free number, and a project Web site.

REX has also presented to dozens of service clubs along the proposed pipeline route including farm bureaus, Kiwanis clubs, Rotary clubs, and professional industry organizations to give the wider community information and a voice.

The sheer number of elected government officials and legislators at the local, state, and national level who need to be kept in the loop might seem like a consultation nightmare. Yet informing government officials and politicians of project developments is critical to ensuring their constituents feel up-to-date on REX and its local impacts.

The role of consultation

The community is rightly sceptical of the government-speak and corporate jargon that sometimes substitutes for “consultation” as a form of public participation. This tick-the-box “They just want to be able to say they have consulted the community” approach has given consultation a bad name.

It is not consultation if the feedback gained from stakeholders occurs at a time and in a way that it cannot or will not be factored into decision-making processes or have the potential to change the outcomes.

However, consultation can be genuine, effective and non-tokenistic whilst conducted on a limited scale. For example, the PPP (Royal Women's Health Partnership consortium and the Department of Human Services) redeveloped Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital recognised the hospital's iconic status for generations of Victorian women, their families and the wider community.

It used focus groups with a range of women - patients, ex-patients and women in the wider community and those from particular ethnic and religious backgrounds - to get input and feedback on the design, decor and furnishings for patient rooms.

Effective communication

What we say and what we mean don't always coalesce with public audiences inclined to be suspicious of what’s being planned when infrastructure projects are announced. Being precise in our language can avoid a potential disconnect, as can even an admission that we can’t be more precise but will keep them updated regularly.

For example, when we say: “We don’t expect there will be much disruption” the resident hears: “So there will be disruption, will there?” When we tell the local business: “The works will only take a few days” they think: “I’m raising hell if this mess isn’t cleared up by the end of the week.”

Being prepared to listen and be flexible in accommodating simple requests or the special circumstances of individuals impacted by infrastructure projects can make an enormous difference to community goodwill and trust that often goes way beyond the life of the project.

 

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Fenton Communications kindly acknowledges Trenchless International for allowing us to republish this article.

* About the author

Anna Grutzner is an Account Director with Fenton Communications, an Australian PR consultancy. Its environment & sustainability group assists clients in managing communications around major infrastructure projects. For more information: anna@fenton.com.au or (02) 9290 3777.