Rethinking community consultation to deliver sustainable streetscape projects
September 24, 2025
Many sustainable streetscape projects stall due to a lack of genuine community consultation. To deliver better outcomes, we need to do it differently.
We all know the value of walkable, people-friendly neighbourhoods¡ªsafe streets, shaded places, and ways to get around all support community health and wellbeing. But too often, the sustainable streetscape projects that could deliver these benefits never get off the ground because we don¡¯t engage the people who live in these communities first.
Community consultation is often treated as a tick-box exercise or, worse, skipped entirely out of fear of backlash. What should be a conversation becomes a vote. Communities are often handed a finished plan and asked for a simple ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ without ever being asked what they want. Then a few loud objections roll in, and the whole project gets delayed or even scrapped.
Genuine community consultation means meeting people where they are; and we do it in ways that are accessible across cultures, ages, and circumstances. And it means shifting the consultation process focus from presenting finished designs to co-creating them, by asking what matters to people before lines are ever drawn on a map. Only then will councils get the buy-in they need to move forward with projects that improve our neighbourhoods.
If we want to get more streetscape projects off the ground, it¡¯s clear we need to take a different approach to community engagement. It should be one that encourages more constructive conversations and stronger community outcomes. Here¡¯s how we can do it.
Engaging communities early can help shape streets that reflect local needs.
Why sustainable streetscape projects stall when community consultation comes too late
The real problem with community consultation? It¡¯s not that people don¡¯t care. It¡¯s that they¡¯re rarely asked for their opinions.
Sometimes, there isn¡¯t the attempt at community engagement in transport planning. Not because communities aren¡¯t interested but because councils are worried about backlash. Projects stall before they reach the public because of the perception of what the community might say. There¡¯s concern that engaging too early or too widely will spark resistance, even when most people support change. A few loud voices dominate the conversation, and suddenly it feels like everyone¡¯s against it.
We saw this dynamic play out in our own neighbourhood recently. For three Fridays, the street outside a local school was closed to cars, a play space was set up, and a coffee cart rolled in. Parents loved it. Kids loved it. Car use dropped, and the bike sheds were full. It was a huge success. Then a couple of negative posts appeared online, and even people who¡¯d enjoyed it started to second-guess themselves. That¡¯s how powerful a vocal minority can be.
This fear of the minority opinion is why so many projects stall and deprive people of the benefits they offer. Asking a handful of people in a community of thousands isn¡¯t enough. And too often, the only voices that come through are those with the time and energy to complain.
Even when councils do try to consult their communities, the process can get in the way¡ªmaterials aren¡¯t translated, surveys are buried online, and vulnerable groups are left out. Sometimes, people don¡¯t even know they¡¯re being asked. And even when they do, they may not respond. Let¡¯s face it: most people don¡¯t want to spend their evenings filling out forms or sitting in council meetings. But that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t care.
Projects like the Garden City Bike Corridor Connection Upgrade show why it¡¯s so important to see sustainable streetscape projects through to the end. By connecting Garden City Reserve to key trail networks, the upgrade improves safety, access, and active travel options. Unfortunately, we¡¯ve worked on dozens of projects just like these that haven¡¯t seen the light of day. They just gather dust on the shelves because of a failure to first actively engage the community during the consultation process.
It¡¯s important to connect neighbourhoods through active travel corridors for healthier living.
Effective community consultation is key to delivering projects people actually want
What does good community consultation look like? We believe it¡¯s about meeting people where they are¡ªgoing out to schools, shops, parks, and community groups¡ªand asking questions. Inclusive planning isn¡¯t about taking a finished plan to the community for feedback but starting with open questions like: ¡°What do you like about your street? What would make it better?¡± That way, the plan belongs to the community, not just the council.
How we frame the conversation matters, too. When you start with the proposal¡ªwhether that¡¯s more bike lanes, reducing parking, or traffic changes¡ªyou get people¡¯s backs up. But when you lead with what you want to achieve¡ªsafer school routes, shade on hot days, and better local amenities¡ªthe conversation changes.
Our teams use the Healthy Streets framework as part of our engagement process. Originally developed in the UK, we¡¯ve adapted this approach for use with Australian councils to better reflect local context and priorities. The framework helps us engage with communities in meaningful ways¡ªworking together to assess how well their streets support health, wellbeing, and inclusion. We use those insights to inform more people-focused designs.
The real problem with community consultation? It¡¯s not that people don¡¯t care. It¡¯s that they¡¯re rarely asked for their opinions.
We used this approach in a recent project. Instead of starting by asking for feedback on a proposed design, we asked people to walk the streets in their neighbourhoods and take their kids or grandparents with them. We asked them to see their streets through someone else¡¯s eyes. Notice how it feels to cross the road. Think about whether it¡¯s comfortable, shaded, and easy to get around.
When they came back to us a few weeks later, they were reflecting on things they¡¯d never considered before. Some even developed empathy for council¡ªrealising just how many competing demands shape public space. And because the conversation started with lived experience instead of lines on a map, we had a much stronger foundation for the design work that followed.
We applied the same Healthy Streets Approach in the Midland Walkability study, supporting the City of Swan council with clear assessments based on evidence to help it update the walkability plan. By engaging directly with the community, we identified actions the council could take to improve the network for people who walk and ride, including quick wins¡ªlike tree planting and fixing trip hazards. Over the longer term, these insights will help the City improve infrastructure, guide development decisions, and invest more effectively in Midland¡¯s public spaces. And it will help put the community¡¯s needs front and centre.
Applying the Healthy Streets framework helps create safer, more inclusive streets.
Why genuine community consultation is essential to sustainable streetscapes
Too many streetscape projects with good intentions never make it past the drawing board. They stall, not because they lack merit, but because they didn¡¯t start with effectively engaging the community.
The reality is, our communities are full of people who care deeply about where they live, but we rarely talk to them. When we show we're listening and that we will apply their feedback, we build trust. That trust empowers councils, giving them evidence that a project is something the community wants. That evidence can be the difference between a project that sits on the shelves and one that earns political support.
When we embed genuine community consultation right from the start, we co-create projects people are proud to champion. That¡¯s how we move beyond backlash and deliver sustainable streetscape projects that reflect the needs of the people who use them every day.?
