ContactBook a call

Objective

To promote the revitalisation of the City of Bradford in the UK through a bold masterplan

Project

Place Marketing

Results

Marketing a bold, controversial plan required innovation and in-depth stakeholder engagement

Bradford Centre Regeneration (BCR) was established as an Urban Regeneration Company (URC) by Yorkshire Forward and Bradford Council to drive the city’s transformation. Its purpose: to develop and deliver a Masterplan that would reposition Bradford for long-term growth.

The Alsop Masterplan was ambitious and unapologetically bold. At its centre was a dramatic proposal for one of the UK’s largest urban public spaces — a vast reflective water feature spanning the size of four football pitches, requiring the demolition of two civic buildings. The vision was imaginative and unconventional, sparking significant public debate and backlash.

Marketing and engagement efforts were carefully targeted across several key audiences: the local community, regional and national stakeholders, and the investor/developer market. Karenna worked alongside a leading marketing agency and the team at BCR to deliver a complex, multi-channel campaign that balanced ambition with local community engagement.

Strategic elements included:

  • A strong media relations programme with weekly messaging oversight, proactive press releases and responsive communications
  • Investor and stakeholder events, including high-profile visits, familiarisation tours and international promotion through MIPIM — the world’s largest real estate event. See MIPIM case study
  • Intensive internal engagement to manage communications between multiple delivery partners

As the flagship project — City Park — progressed into delivery, Karenna’s focus shifted solely to its marketing and engagement. See City Park case study

'Karenna works tirelessly to maintain relationships and provide information to stakeholders at a time and in a format which works for them. She worked well across a range of organisations and was always professional and capable.'

Shelagh O’Neil, City of Bradford

Other Case Studies