Knowle Park Initiative

The Knowle Park Initiative was a two-part development in Cranleigh, Surrey. The first stage was the sale of privately owned brownfield land for housing; the second was the transfer of surrounding land into a publicly owned parkland and event space.

To succeed, the project needed planning approval from Waverley Borough Council, and crucially, the support of the local community.

I was brought in to help the team communicate the project’s objectives clearly and sympathetically. My first task was to create a simple identity that reassured residents while presenting the development in a positive light. This visual language was applied across all public communications, from brochures and leaflets to a website and a series of exhibition panels shown at consultation events. I also produced a detailed overview document containing facts, data and maps for the planning committee.

The work required close collaboration with PR consultants, landscape architects, local politicians and community volunteers. At every stage, the goal was to present information in a way that was accessible, balanced and professional.

Planning permission was approved for both the housing and the parkland, with the landowner and architects noting the impact of the design work on the project’s success. Following approval, the focus shifted to establishing the Knowle Park Trust, the body set up to oversee the creation of the community park. Completed a few years later, the park is now regarded as an exemplar of its kind, and the identity I created is still in use today.