Public Consultation Website That Turned Complex Plans Into Community Conversation
Architecture & ConstructionPublic Consultation Website That Turned Complex Plans Into Community Conversation
Client: SevenHomes
Project Type: Website & Materials for Public Consultation
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
SevenHomes needed to present a 26-home development proposal to Ashbury Village. The challenge: make technical planning documents accessible while gathering meaningful community feedback.
I designed a digital-first consultation strategy with a bespoke Squarespace website at its core—supported by exhibition boards and print materials—that transformed regulatory requirements into genuine dialogue.
The Challenge: Making Planning Accessible
Public consultations often fail because they're presented in planning language, not human language. For this small Oxfordshire village of 500 residents, the stakes were high: residents needed to understand proposals, SevenHomes needed quality feedback, and the consultation had to meet legal requirements while building trust.
The solution needed to work for everyone: parish councillors at 2am, busy parents on mobile, and event attendees.
The Approach: Website as Central Hub
The website served as a 24/7 accessible hub that extended conversation beyond a single event day.
Strategic Website Design:
Long-scroll narrative guided visitors from site constraints to final masterplan, building understanding progressively
"Rest" sections with quotes broke up technical content, preventing information overload
Anchor navigation let visitors jump to their concerns—traffic, drainage, design
Integrated Google Forms captured responses directly into spreadsheets for easy analysis
Password protection allowed client review before public launch
Supporting the Complete Experience:
Eight A1 Exhibition Boards translated website content for the physical event, enabling face-to-face discussions.
Direct Mail Leaflet with QR code ensured maximum reach across digital and non-digital audiences.
Print & Digital Feedback Forms with identical questions meant seamless data combining.
Key Features:
The Outcome: Strong Community Engagement
121 website visits during the 2-week consultation—over 20% of the local population engaged digitally
9 minutes 35 seconds average time on site—genuine reading, not bouncing
Website reached residents unable to attend the physical event (holidays, work commitments, mobility constraints)
High-quality feedback gathered including specific concerns about traffic management, design materials fitting village character, and affordable housing needs
Residents found information "very useful and comprehensive" with particular praise for clear presentation of technical details
Successful data collection with consistent responses across digital and physical channels informed SevenHomes' planning strategy
❝ SevenHomes appointed AH Studio as lead design consultant for our marketing material for a bespoke new development project in Oxfordshire.
Anna's attention to detail in understanding our brief and requirements was immediately noticeable, ensuring a smooth and successful project from the outset. Our in-house style was seamlessly incorporated into the marketing materials, creating a professional and consistent approach for our public consultation event.
In addition, a bespoke website was created to provide additional information, and online forms enabled us to gather valuable feedback following the event, helping to inform our strategy moving forward. We would not hesitate to work with AH Studio again in the future. ❞
— Jack Barnes MRICS, Senior Land Manager, Project Coordinator
How Projects Like This Come TogetherWhat to Expect
Every project follows a collaborative process designed for clarity, partnership, and results you'll love.
Discovery & Strategy
Week 1
We start with conversation—understanding your business, audience, and goals. This shapes everything that follows.
What You Get: Clear project timeline, strategic direction, content plan
Design & Development
Week 1-2
I build your project on a staging site where you can follow progress. You'll receive a complete first draft with a video walkthrough explaining every design decision.
What You Get: Staging access, video walkthrough, feedback opportunities
Review & Refinement
Week 2-3
Your feedback shapes the final result. We discuss changes, I implement revisions, and we polish every detail until you're thrilled.
What You Get: Revisions, direct communication, collaborative problem-solving
Training & Handover
Week 3
Your project goes live! You receive comprehensive training (live session + recorded videos), all credentials, and 30 days of support.
What You Get: Platform training, video tutorials, 30 days support, full ownership
Typical Timeline: 2-6 weeks for standard website projects, depending on complexity
Expedited Delivery: Available for time-sensitive projects
Complex Projects: Timeline adapts to your specific needs
Let's Talk About Your Project
Let's start with a conversation.
No pressure, no sales pitch—just an honest discussion about what you need and whether I'm the right fit to help.
Book a Discovery Call
Tell me about your vision and what you're hoping to achieve. We'll talk through your goals, I'll explain how I work, and we'll both know if this is the right partnership. The call is free—no obligation, just conversation.
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Digital-first consultation strategy for SevenHomes' Ashbury development featuring website, exhibition boards, and integrated feedback systems.