Public Consultation

Engaging with the entire stake-holder community is now an integral part of any planning process, and the public are a key component of this community now. They also have a real power to influence a development, and it is therefore vital to:

• Engage with them early in the process, and
• Ensure that they understand what is being proposed

CityGRID is used regularly within live public consultation meetings, where the Explorer tool is used to give members of the public ‘virtual freedom’ to interrogate the model in a manner is simple and intuitive.

CityGRID Explorer has proved to be an excellent tool for explaining and visualising projects to concerned members of the public, succeeding where traditional display materials (architects plans, scale models, design drawings and maps) have previously failed.

The wider community can be reached with CityGRID models presented on information booths/kiosks, or on web-browsers (such as ESRI ArcGlobe or Google Earth).

We have undertaken public consultation exercises and taken an active role in programmes on behalf of clients, providing onsite support and expertise for road shows and expert meetings.

Public Relations - Project Development – 3D visualization for public relations - Once project developers decide on a particular planning variant, a consensus must be reached with authorities and residents.  Certain changes, such as reducing the height, may need to be made to the planned variant.  A realistic and easy-to-understand 3D visualisation can help parties reach a consensus quickly in particularly sensitive city zones.  Interactive 3D visualisation is considered more believable than photo montages, as the viewer can select any standpoint and line of sight.  The city model can be used to illustrate the project surroundings. CityGRID can be used to adjust the level of detail quickly to meet the requirements of a credible and easy-to-understand 3D visualisation.  Surrounding buildings generally need to be shown with the correct roof shape and textured facade.  3D laser scanning can be used to show roads and vegetation correctly and efficiently.

CityGRID modules used:

CityGRID Modeler, CityGRID Planner, CityGRID Explorer

Figures:

• left: Existing setting
• right: Planned shopping centre with redesigned roads