We have a wealth of knowledge within our brilliant team. As well as being communications and stakeholder engagement specialists, we’re also real estate experts …. and at heart, we’re all development geeks!

In our many combined years of experience, we’ve worked across the entire development lifecycle – pre-planning and funding phases through construction, leasing and launch to ongoing asset management.  From Edinburgh to Exeter and everything in between, we work with Borough, City, County and District Councils, advising developers, operators, local authorities and investors on managing the message of ‘change’ across their assets and town and city centre schemes.  Developing a deep understanding of the unique stakeholder landscape of each place allows us to deliver comprehensive political and community support programmes, by harnessing the right tools – blending innovative digital formats with traditional methodologies.

After ‘a pandemic number’ of months working remotely, and with multiple engagement and development communications programmes successfully delivered for schemes across the country, we wanted to ease back into face-to-face working life with a quick reminder of who’s who in our brilliant team!

We asked a few of our team to share their favourite memories and experiences on a development…

CHRISTINA GILLINGS, Head of Developments

  1. What’s your favourite part of the development lifecycle?

It doesn’t matter how many years go by, or how many construction sites I set foot on, I still love getting my boots, hard hat and high vis on and seeing the development come to life. Of course, I love seeing the finished product, but having watched it come out of the ground makes it all the more exciting. I genuinely geek out when I get to scope out a new project – from the moment we get that spade in the ground, to demo, to steel arrival (no, seriously). Watching these exceptional feats of engineering come together through all sorts of complexities (if I told you, I’d have to kill you) gives me a kick when I get to walk on site without the boots at the end.

  1. What are you working on at the moment?

Following five years of construction (and many more in the making) I’ve just worked with the incredible team at St James Quarter to launch the first phase of the £1bn retail and leisure destination. The shopping galleria opened in June, and it was indeed one of those moments where we got to enjoy taking those first steps on site without the boots – it looks absolutely incredible.

  1. What’s your favourite example of placemaking?

I absolutely love the Highline in New York. Not only does it truly connect the city, it provides inclusive, community space for all.

FREDDIE ROSEN, Account Manager

  1. What’s your proudest moment on a recent project?

One of the projects that we worked on recently went through a judicial review and in this instance the SCI that we drafted was submitted as part of the evidence. In the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to grant the appeal, they made specific reference to the thorough engagement that was undertaken and evidenced in the SCI. For our work to be specifically highlighted and sanctioned by the UK’s planning authorities was a special moment, and underlined my confidence in the work that we undertake here at Redwood.

  1. What are you working on at the moment?

We’ve just finished our public consultation on Tiger Developments’ proposals for Guildford Plaza, which is the first engagement exercise since the pandemic began where we have actually met members of the public. Hopefully a sign of things to come!

GABRIEL ABULAFIA, Head of Political & Stakeholder Engagement

  1. What’s your favourite part of the development lifecycle?

For me, it’s all about people. I really enjoy the process of meeting and developing the best possible working relationship with all of the stakeholders – councillors, residents, businesses etc – with an interest in our clients’ development proposals. I think that you can’t advise clients properly unless you speak to the full range of local stakeholders early and then, crucially, you keep on speaking to them throughout the lifetime of the project. Without the knowledge that you gain from this important relationship development you won’t have a clear enough understanding of how the proposals are being received. It’s also crucial that this contact is verbal. You won’t make friends over email and people appreciate it if you take the time to call them and understand their perspective.

  1. What are you working on at the moment?

We recently finished the first round of our work for Sovereign Centros on their proposals for Leisure World in Southampton. As a result, they now have outline planning approval and so the next step will be to help them consult local residents and businesses on their detailed plans.

  1. What’s your favourite example of placemaking?

I really like what St George did with Charter Quay in Kingston upon Thames (my home borough). They made great use of the river, created a really nice public space surrounded by cafes and restaurants with the Hogsmill River as its focal point and, best of all, they built us the Rose Theatre.

NATASHA LEE, Senior Account Director

  1. What’s your favourite part of the development lifecycle?

For me, it’s got to be the construction phase. There is nothing quite like seeing a development coming to life and taking its physical form. We get to continue to build our stakeholder relationships, which have been formed during the pre-application phase, and continue to work with the community on the next stages of development.

  1. What are you working on at the moment?

We are currently working with First Base on their Devonshire Gardens planning application in Cambridge. Having completed most of our pre-application engagement digitally, we are working with an excellent team of consultants to give the local community a great new development for the city.

  1. What’s your favourite example of placemaking?

There are so many great examples on our doorsteps, but for me it would have to be Kings Cross. Observing the changes over the last few years, there really is something for everyone, making it a fantastic place to spend time.

CLARE HARTSHORNE, Director

  1. What’s your favourite part of the development lifecycle?

I like being involved in a development from the very beginning, when we can work with a project team on creative ways to present the scheme to a community. It is particularly rewarding when we can work with clients to interpret the feedback and influence the shape of the scheme, ensuring it is accepted by the community it is being created for.

  1. What are you working on at the moment?

A number of our projects have just achieved consents so are now all at different stages as they move towards construction, search for partners or work towards detailed planning.

  1. What’s your favourite example of placemaking?

I’ve seen some really innovative approaches to placemaking in Stockholm, particularly AMF Fastigheter’s office and retail-led schemes, which really put people at their heart.

KATE BOURNE, Managing Director

  1. What’s your favourite part of the development lifecycle?

I have been very lucky in my career to see a number of projects from planning and funding stages through to launch and beyond and I enjoy each phase and the various different comms challenges and opportunities they all present. I started working with our client Nuveen back in 2014 on their St James Quarter proposals and was immensely proud last month when the doors to the retail and leisure galleria opened to the public.

  1. What are you working on at the moment?

Over the past year, I have been involved in a number of regeneration projects up and down the country including gaining consent for a large BTR led scheme in the heart of Basildon town centre, the successful planning outcome for a co-living scheme in Exeter, helping Coventry City Council and SPG realise their regeneration ambitions for Coventry City Centre and working with Newcastle City Council to communicate to stakeholders the benefits of its City Centre Transformation programme.

  1. What’s your favourite example of placemaking?

Having a young family, I love the South Bank and all it has to offer – from the variety of theatre performances and other cultural amenities, the vibrant street entertainment and the mix of restaurants and other leisure experiences it embraces the true spirit of placemaking.