Consulting communities in support of Gatwick’s Northern Runway Project

BRIEF

Gatwick Airport appointed SEC Newgate to design and deliver consultation and stakeholder engagement for its Northern Runway DCO programme. The project required engagement across a large and diverse geographic area, involving residents, businesses, community organisations, local authorities and elected representatives. Consultation planning also took place as the UK emerged from pandemic restrictions, requiring an approach that combined traditional engagement methods with new and accessible digital channels.

SOLUTION

SEC Newgate developed and implemented a multi-channel consultation strategy designed to maximise participation and ensure stakeholders could engage in a way that suited them. This included taking a Mobile Project Office to more than 30 locations across the region, delivering online and telephone-based ‘Call the Expert’ sessions, and hosting engagement events for over 350 stakeholder groups. We also facilitated all-member briefings with 10 local authorities, enabling decision-makers and community representatives to access information, ask questions and provide feedback throughout the consultation process.

OUTCOME

The consultation programme achieved extensive participation across the project area, with more than 7,500 people taking part and over 5,000 submitting feedback. Our blended engagement approach helped Gatwick Airport reach a broad range of audiences, gather meaningful stakeholder insight and demonstrate a robust, accessible and inclusive consultation process for a nationally significant infrastructure project.