West London is one of the most diverse and dynamic parts of the capital. But what does best practice community engagement look like there, and why is it so important to unlocking better regeneration?

We sat down with Councillor Teo Benea, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Property at Brent Council, to discuss engagement in West London, collaboration between councils and developers, and Brent’s future priorities.

“You cannot expect communities to come and knock at your door. You have to go to them.” – Cllr Teo Benea

Ahead of our conversation, we were delighted to welcome Cllr Benea to our office last week to host a roundtable discussion with leading developers, exploring how councils and partners can work together on best practice community engagement.

Adam McLaren, Director for Client Services, introduced the event, outlining Kanda’s creative approach to engagement in West London, including the growing importance of digital techniques alongside in-person consultation, and how our in-house Studio team use digital strategies and innovative design to drive public engagement.

Councillor Teo Benea discussed the challenges and opportunities in Brent, how development can deliver social impacts, and what makes engagement in West London unique. She also explored how effective engagement directly leads to the creation of successful places that respond to the needs of residents; creating affordable homes, new communities and attractive green spaces.

Dhara Bhatt shared an overview of her excellent work with the Earl’s Court Development Company, showcasing the breadth of Kanda’s offer in a major West London development project, which included site tours, workshops and dedicated resident meetings.

The wide-ranging discussion covered topics including the importance of early engagement, how to ensure consultation is wide reaching and inclusive, and building long-term trust and partnerships with local communities.

Our key takeaways included:

• Start early: build meaningful relationships from the outset and establish clear parameters
• Build capacity: help residents understand the planning process and relate the benefits of development to their lived experience
• Earn trust: work towards genuine collaboration between councils, developers and communities that is sustained beyond planning
• Transfer lessons: look at how to apply best practice from estate renewal engagement more widely
• Be creative: engage seldom-heard groups by meeting them where they are and making the process more representative

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at the roundtable, whose contributions made it one of our most insightful discussions yet!