By Nicola Rochfort
Head of Community Engagement and Insights

Back in 2019 we asked 2,000 people whether they trusted private developers when it comes to planning for large-scale development. The response - that only 2% of them did - prompted us at Grosvenor to pause, reflect and publish Positive Space, our first community engagement charter.  

Whilst at the time it felt like a step forward, reflecting six years on - as we launch our updated Engagement Charter - it is striking how much of that initial plan contains what we would see as the absolute basics: communication, transparency and two-way dialogue.  

It seems that sense of having moved forward is reflective of the wider sector as well, with new research from the Social Value Portal finding that the 2% figure has now climbed to 16%. Still low, but an encouraging sign that the sector starting to rebuild a bit of faith. 

So, what’s behind the improvement?  

I think part of it comes from a growing understanding that social impact isn’t a by-product of good placemaking - it’s the point of it. More organisations are recognising that genuinely thriving places start with understanding what matters most to the people who live and work there; and engagement has become the foundation for doing that well. At Grosvenor, this thinking shaped our social impact and community strategy, People Positive which captures our approach to supporting wellbeing, inclusion & accessibility, socially positive business growth, and sector diversity. Our new People Positive Engagement Charter carries the same name because meaningful engagement sits at the heart of how we achieve this. By listening and acting on what we hear, we can direct our time, partnerships and investment toward what delivers the greatest local impact. 

Connected to this, the model of development is changing and arguably influences how the sector approaches engagement. Property companies are moving from delivering projects to managing places. Those behind King’s Cross, Battersea, or Earls Court aren’t just building schemes, they’re curating neighbourhoods. This “place-based” approach demands more authentic, long-term relationships with communities. Collaboration, not consultation, is becoming the new standard.  

There’s also a growing recognition that good engagement isn’t just the right thing to do - it makes commercial sense. Places where people feel heard, connected and valued simply perform better. Occupiers stay longer, businesses thrive, we end up with better ideas, and smoother delivery. Engagement has evolved from a reputational safeguard to a strategic investment - the foundation of resilient places. We’re seeing the sector reach the same conclusion, with organisations like Landsec launching their own engagement charters; a sign that people-centred approaches are becoming the new standard for responsible placemaking. 

Better tools and data have helped too. Digital mapping and demographic insights make engagement more inclusive and evidence-driven than it was even a few years ago. Using platforms like Commonplace, we can capture feedback in real time and easily spot who’s missing from the conversation. We’re not just gathering opinions but using data to identify trends, understand need, and address inequities. 

And collaboration is also deepening. Public, private and community partners are increasingly working together on shared priorities - from safety and green space to local skills and jobs. Our involvement in local neighbourhood forums is testament to this; such groups help create conditions for genuine cross-sector partnership, stronger local networks and decisions increasingly grounded in lived experience. 

But let’s not get carried away. If you ask some members of the community, engagement still feels too late, too shallow, or too scripted. In truth, the sector has moved forward but people’s experience varies wildly. Some organisations are genuinely collaborative; others are still stuck in the tick-box era with engagement that is more performance than partnership.  

We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to do. Ultimately good engagement is something you keep working at, which is one of the reasons why we’ve taken a fresh look at our own approach to see where we can and are going further. 

That’s what our new People Positive Engagement Charter is all about. We’re sharing it not just to hold ourselves to account, but to help raise the standard across the sector. It comes with an open source Engagement Toolkit – a practical step-by-step guide for anyone who wants to deliver meaningful engagement, even without specialist resource whether that’s a developer, local authority, housing association or community group. Designed to make good practice accessible, the toolkit brings together examples and tips to help anyone shaping or managing places identify their audience, start conversations, listen well and turn local insight into real impact. 

We hope others will use it, adapt it, and continue the conversation around this topic to keep improving. Because better engagement means better places, and better places make life better for everyone, especially those who need it most.