London Road, Brighton Student Accommodation

Developer: McLaren Property

Planning Authority: Brighton and Hove City Council

Our role: Chess Engage was appointed by McLaren Property to deliver a programme of stakeholder and community engagement for a new student accommodation scheme in the heart of Brighton comprising of 159 rooms and 5,000 square feet of ground floor retail spaces.

Our approach: Brighton and Hove Council's lack of overall control posed a challenge in engaging with political stakeholders, given the diverse range of political viewpoints within the council.

We provided political intelligence and strategic advice to the client. We also carried out a programme of political engagement to ensure that councillors understood the proposal and that their key concerns were addressed.

We also devised and executed a comprehensive community consultation strategy, leveraging the power of online platforms. This included a dedicated website which was the central hub for all project-related information, presentations, and webinars. In addition, we disseminated regular project updates and newsletters through various channels, fostering transparency and trust in the community. 

Results:

• We secured resounding support from a wide range of key stakeholders, including the ward councillor, the London Area Action Group, The Regency Society, and residents. The planning application was approved and the development has now  been completed.