ADVISING THE COMMUNITY WHERE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING PLACE – GILSTON, UK

URBAN Silence has been helping the community of Gilston since 2017, enabling them to make the most of the planning system to influence the future of the area, including the allocation of 10,000 houses and 5ha of employment part of the UK Government-backed Gilston and Harlow Garden Town.

The existing community in the Gilston Area is prosperous and friendly; it comprises less than 2,000 homes in three small rural settlements. The forthcoming 10,000 new homes will bring seismic change to the area – and local people want to ensure development will be of exceptional quality, reflecting the character and countryside setting of the location.

Since URBAN Silence were engaged, the activities of the community became constructive and better targeted,  not so easily dismissed, making the community feel they have agency and power of influence.

Initially appointed in 2017 by one of the developers as a support team during consultation, URBAN Silence has continued assisting the community ever since, through several individual tasks aimed to ensure that the voice of the community carried weight.

The role has remained constructive and collaborative, across the District Council, the developers, the Garden Town Board and the community.