Regeneration
Regeneration and renewal are central to the sustainable communities’ agenda that aims to engage local people and give them greater influence over where money should be spent and the priorities for their communities.
While decision making often rests with local government - where money is spent, on development plans and planning applications - there is a much wider community of interest that needs to be engaged. Effective partnerships are needed between local people, businesses, voluntary bodies, regions and central government, as everyone now recognises that imposing solutions from outside doesn’t work. The Verve team has worked on a wide range of regeneration projects ranging from Local Strategic Partnerships, to Single Regeneration Budget Programmes and complex individual planning applications.
Winning planning permission for Garbe regeneration
Verve was appointed to manage Garbe UK’s public relations in advance of its purchase of a major and controversial London site. We embarked on a strategy to win support for the company and its plans including creating a brand identity; building its website; devising an extensive local communications plan; producing creative publicity material; delivering an effective media strategy; and managing public consultation including a programme of meetings. Over eight months, outright hostility was transformed into support from stakeholders and residents. When the new plans were unanimously approved, councillors remarked they couldn’t recall a developer winning so much praise from local people.
Thames Gateway London Partnership
Verve undertook a comprehensive range of public relations and media relations services for TGLP including media monitoring and strategic communications advice. Verve also managed every aspect of TGLP's Practitioners' Forums which involved creating the theme, sourcing appropriate specialist speakers, often at Ministerial level, invitations and total event management on the day.
We also organise a series of events and seminars attracting regional, national and international audiences on key issues affecting the Thames Gateway area.