Development Response is a people-centred approach focused on minimising the negative impacts of change on people nearby. Its core objective is to anticipate and address these impacts before they occur.
Rather than being a prescribed set of actions, development response is an adaptive process where approaches are modified and different tools applied to improve the experience for those affected.
Taking a Development Response approach means that we’re supporting people through changes by addressing both what’s visible and by doing the work behind the scenes that makes the biggest difference.
The most visible aspects of caring for our project neighbours are often things like communications and engagement, activation and placemaking, and business support programmes. But the actions we take behind the scenes are often the things that have the greatest positive impact on how people experience the work we do.
The iceberg model has been developed based on what our customers tell us makes the most difference to them - it identifies and prioritises the things that can have a fundamental influence on the success of a project but are often hidden from view.
Development response can be employed on a project of any scale; the approach can be comprehensive or light-touch.
All major changes and construction projects need a plan to support people through the change or disruption and can leverage a suite of tools and approaches to improve the lives of communities impacted by change.
While especially important for big, complex projects that take place over a long time it’s also useful for smaller ones. Even simple projects can benefit from a quick check-in; understanding the needs of neighbours early on gives you a chance to anticipate impacts, make good plans and avoid difficulties.
Instead of being just a checklist of tasks, development response is a way of thinking.
Look how far we've come with Health and safety - it has evolved from a set of rules into a core mindset embedded into how we plan, design, and deliver projects. The construction sector has moved from reacting to incidents to preventing them through systems and culture, by making it second nature for all.
Development Response should be approached in the same way, prompting questions at every stage: "Who is impacted by our work? How can we get to know them and their needs? What can we do to take care of their needs while getting our work done?"
By taking meaningful actions which ease the burden on those impacted, communities will embrace change because they understand why we do what we do, trust that the benefits will be worth it, and that we're working in ways that have their interests in mind.
Development response isn’t only about making things easier for neighbours - it's great for project outcomes too.
Projects with less reactive stakeholder management, fewer complaints or fires to fight and less unexpected pivots are more likely to be delivered on time and on budget.
Genuine efforts to build trust and confidence grow support for your work, build social license for future projects and changes, and improve the reputation of the Auckland Council whānau.
Successful development response starts with a strong understanding of the context of the project - the place, the people, their needs and operations - and anticipating how they might be impacted.
Project teams that take time at the beginning can make more informed design, planning and construction choices that align with the community and can identify sympathetic methodologies and implementation plans. These are often outlined in a construction disruption mitigation management plan.
It's important that a mitigation plan isn't set in stone. By regularly checking in with affected neighbours, embedding customer perspectives into project management teams and approaches, and regularly reviewing our ways of working, we can evolve and adapt to make sure we're meeting the needs of the neighbourhood over time and as the different project phases progress.
Development Response is not just a nice-to-have; it is a strategic necessity.
NZIER's Insight report "Where do the costs and benefits of infrastructure projects fall?" calls for the short-term disruption impacts on local businesses and communities to be incorporated into infrastructure decision-making to achieve far-reaching benefits.
This provides a clear rationale for mitigating the negative impacts on businesses and communities, supporting them and involving them early.
Need advice, help or troubleshooting?
Have some ideas, lessons learned or success stories?
Get in touch:
citycentre@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
This online toolkit is a collection of tools, tips and templates to support you to identify what approaches might be relevant to your project and the context in which it's being delivered.