Best practice for public consultation

Best practice for public consultation

One of the world’s leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting companies, GHD, has been recognised for helping deliver strategic consultation and participation processes for a major motorway upgrade in New Zealand.

The Christchurch Southern Motorway Stage 2 (CMS2) project has received the prestigious 2014 New Zealand Planning Institute Best Practice Award. The annual awards recognise excellence within the New Zealand planning profession.

The CSM2 project team was led by GHD with partner Beca for the NZ Transport Agency. The consultation methods used by the team transformed public perception of the project and enabled a smooth journey through the Environmental Protection Authority’s national consenting process. According to the citation, “This collaborative and professional approach demonstrates how responsive and proactive consideration of public and stakeholder feedback during consultation can deliver positive outcomes.”

Mary O’Callahan, GHD’s Planning Manager says, “When initially introduced, CSM2 drew high levels of community opposition. However, over a three year consultation and design process the project team improved public perception and addressed many of the issues that were initially raised.”

Identified by the Government as a “road of national significance”, the Christchurch Southern Corridor is critical to Canterbury’s economic growth and safe traffic flow throughout the region.

CSM2 forms part of the Christchurch Southern Corridor and involves the widening and upgrading of Main South Road to provide for a four-lane median separated expressway and the construction of a greenfield four-lane median separated motorway. Development of the 13 km long CSM2 project will complete the extension of the recently constructed Christchurch Southern Motorway Stage 1 and will form a link from the south to Christchurch, significantly improving connection to the central business district, Lyttelton Port and the city’s industrial areas.

GHD is one of the world’s leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting companies. Wholly-owned by its people, GHD is dedicated to solving its clients’ challenges in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Operating globally and delivering locally, our 5500 professionals collaborate as One GHD to improve infrastructure, economies and communities. www.ghd.com

ENDS

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