Forkers / Severn Trent Water – B5130 Huntington to Chester Water Pipe Installation Scheme
Overview
At Sonar Engagement, we pride ourselves on facilitating seamless community and stakeholder engagement for critical infrastructure projects. One such project is the B5130 Huntington to Chester water pipe installation scheme, managed by Forkers on behalf of Severn Trent Water. This project aims to secure future fresh water supplies for Chester, a vital urban area with significant community and commercial activities.
Services Provided
To ensure the project’s success, we provided comprehensive support in the following areas:
- Communications Support: Crafted and disseminated clear, consistent face to face messages to keep all stakeholders informed and engaged at the point of delivery.
- Public Information Events: Organised and facilitated events to inform the public and gather feedback, ensuring transparency and community involvement.
- Social Value Delivery, supported by CWaNA™ Research: Leveraged our proprietary CWaNA™ research to identify and deliver social value initiatives tailored to the community’s needs.
- Community Engagement: Fostered strong relationships with local residents, businesses, and schools to maintain open lines of communication and address concerns proactively.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinated with various stakeholders, including local councils, representatives, police and utility companies, to align project goals and expectations.
- Customer Satisfaction: Ensured high levels of satisfaction among all parties involved through responsive, attentive service.
Challenges
The project faced several significant challenges, including:
- Managing Continuous Access: Ensuring 24/7 access for businesses, residents, and schools, which had no alternative routes, required meticulous planning and constant face to face communication.
- Long-term Road Works: Navigating a year-long scheme of road works in an area with existing local sensitivities necessitated a strategic, empathetic approach.
- Coordination Among Competing Entities: Balancing the interests and activities of several competing utility companies and three council wards, each with different political affiliations, especially during an election year, added a layer of complexity.
- Late Project Involvement: Being brought on board after the pre-planning and start phase of the project required us to quickly adapt and integrate into the ongoing efforts without disrupting progress.
Value Added
Our involvement brought significant value to the project, including:
- Enhanced Community Relations: Through proactive community engagement and transparent communications, we fostered trust and cooperation among local residents, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Meaningful Social Value: Our CWaNA™ research enabled Forkers to help deliver social value initiatives that directly addressed community needs, thereby enhancing the project’s positive impact on the local area.
- High Customer Satisfaction: Our dedicated support ensured that the project has achieved high levels of satisfaction among all involved parties, from local residents to council representatives and businesses.
Conclusion
Sonar Engagement’s comprehensive services and strategic approach are contributing to the successful delivery of the B5130 Huntington to Chester water pipe installation scheme. By addressing the project’s unique challenges and focusing on stakeholder engagement and social value, we are helping secure future fresh water supplies for Chester while fostering positive community relations. This case study exemplifies our commitment to excellence and our capability to support complex infrastructure projects, ensuring we manage both public expectations and social objectives.
https://www.stwater.co.uk/news/news-releases/severn-trent-s-multi-million-pipeline-project-in-chester-is-set-0/