Hosting Open Days: Building Trust with Local Residents

When something new is being planned a community—like a school, a housing development, or a wind farm—it’s natural to have questions. How will it affect us? Who’s behind it? What will it actually look like? That’s why open days matter. They give a real chance to see what’s happening, meet the people involved, and voice thoughts face-to-face.

There’s a big difference between reading about a project and experiencing it. Open days give the opportunity to look around the space, view plans, and ask direct questions. They help take the mystery out of what’s going on and give a clearer picture and feed into the project. It’s reassuring to meet the people driving the project and to see that they’re willing to speak with us, not just about us.

More importantly, these events give you a voice. You know your community better than anyone, and your insights matter. When developers or organizers take time to listen—to really listen—it shows they’re not just ticking boxes. We are making space for you in the project journey and in the conversation. Whether you have concerns or suggestions. Its good to have a voice.

Open days also help build trust. We’ve all seen projects that started with good intentions but left people feeling ignored. When you are invited in, have questions answered honestly, it shows respect. That kind of openness sets the tone for a better relationship going forward.

On all our projects we have a dedicated community liaison, phone number, website and email address.

At the end of the day, we all want to feel that changes in our community are happening with you, not to you. Open days are a small but meaningful step in that direction. They remind you that your place, your voice, and your perspective count—and that’s something worth showing up for.