The power of communications in Yorkshire regeneration projects: Tim Downs

As a PR and communications consultancy based in Yorkshire, Aberfield’s own development and growth has also been intertwined with regeneration and economic development, areas the team are all passionate about. Indeed, more than a decade since our establishment, it constitutes a significant part of our business.

Our track record boasts working with many of the region’s local authorities, cultural and heritage organisations and institutions, and on many of its major regeneration schemes. These include NGT mass transit, York Central, Wellington Place, Connecting Leeds, Experience Wakefield, Leeds South Bank, and projects associated with the Transforming Cities Fund to name just a few.

What drives us and makes working in this area so rewarding is the ability to physically see the positive impact of our work. There’s something about being able to walk past a building or a neighbourhood and know that you played even a small part in making it happen.

So, what have we learned over the last 10 years and how does that inform our approach to impactful communications in regeneration and economic development?

Be people focused

Whether seeking to communicate a city-wide regeneration strategy, support the development of a single building or influence a specific sector, always start with the people who are going to be impacted, not the desired outcome or messages to communicate. It’s only through taking an audience first approach and understanding who they are and what is being asked of them that we can hope to deliver meaningful communications. Always start by listening to people.

Be transparent

When it comes to placemaking and creating communities, it’s hugely important that people are able to have their say from an early stage.

It’s just as important that they understand what they can influence and what they can’t, and that requires transparency. Don’t tell people that there is a blank sheet of paper when there isn’t. Being open from the start will pay off in the long-term.

Be brave

Be ambitious, bold and commit to being successful from the outset. Quite often we are talking about delivering positive change for generations to come and this requires big thinking. Nowhere is that more evident than in large, complex, city-wide schemes, often which include public private partnerships. These require absolute and total commitment for the long-term and an ambitious approach to succeed. Key to this is not treating communications as a ‘nice to have’, using professional consultants and ensuring they are part of the decision-making process.

Be bespoke

While the delivery techniques and channels, particularly in communications, maybe similar, an off the shelf approach should never be followed. Every site, place, region or sector is unique, with different specific challenges, different immediate requirements and most importantly, different people. Plans should be built from the ground up, not from the top down. This requires building local knowledge, understanding an area’s history and challenges, and building links with the community, stakeholders and the media.

Be consistent

The impact of work and benefits delivered in the regeneration and economic development space can take years to come to fruition.

There can be a temptation to allow areas such as communication to follow the development cycle or ask it to achieve in months what has previously taken years. Neither approach will deliver a successful outcome. The best communications are delivered consistently over time, even in periods of uncertainty like today and when there might not be bricks and mortar to evidence progress. Ultimately, it’s a long-term approach that delivers a positive legacy.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Tim Downs is a director at Leeds-based Aberfield Communications