Construct - Issue 49

Project

POWER TOTHE PEOPLE

CONSULTATION IS KEY TOTHE SUCCESS OFAPUBLICREALMPROJECT THAT ISDELIVERINGBENEFITS TOTHE COMMUNITYANDTHE ENVIRONMENT

“We consider our customers to be everyone we interact with or who is impacted by our works”

Public realm improvements have the potential to improve the lives of many people who live, work and spend time in the area, so it is vital that those people are included in the decision-making process and that their voices are listened to while work is going on. This philosophy has underpinned a project to enhance St John’s Wood High Street in Westminster, delivered by FM Conway, The City of Westminster's highways partner. “As a business, we consider our customers to be everyone we interact with or who is impacted by our works,” says FM Conway customer experience director Maria Pratt. “We want to understand what our customers want from us and make sure we delight them through the work we do.” The decision for the project to go ahead began with a consultation exercise. During the Covid pandemic, Westminster introduced temporary measures to promote al fresco dining on the High Street and provide additional space for pedestrians. A survey in 2021 found that 84% of residents and businesses favoured turning the temporary measures into permanent public realm enhancements.

LOCATION

St John’s Wood

London Zoo

PROJECT LOCATION

Lord’s Cricket Ground

Regent’s Park

A5

Regent’s Canal

A501

Marylebone

Paddington

From then on, consultation and engagement were at the heart of the project. Before detailed design began, The City of Westminster worked with residents and stakeholders to develop an outline design that would work for everyone. “The scheme built on the success of the al fresco dining measures, by creating additional space for tables and chairs, but it has also been designed to provide wider benefits for the community and the environment,” explains The City of Westminster’s programme assurance manager Simon Morgan. FM Conway’s design partner WSP took that outline design forward to develop a scheme that involved making the High Street

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