Redevelopment of new headquarters - Cambridge Assessment

Client: Cambridge Assessment
Location: Cambridge
Discipline(s):

GL Hearn’s Strategic Communications team was appointed to support the redevelopment of a new headquarters for Cambridge Assessment, the University’s international examinations board, in Cambridge city centre.

Key challenges

The site is located within a strong residential community with the need to bring many highly vocal groups together. On the basis of other development in the area, residents had pre-conceived concerns about traffic, construction disruption and architectural quality. As the end user of the building, Cambridge Assessment was keen to protect its corporate reputation throughout.

With the chair of the planning committee being the site’s ward councillor and a local resident, appropriate political engagement was also vital.

Results

Activities throughout included political and stakeholder engagement, public consultation and media relations. GL Hearn also set up a successful residents’ forum which is still ongoing.

The project received unanimous approval at planning committee in autumn 2014 and, following Reserved Matters consent, construction is now well underway.