In 2014 Encounters began leading an interactive, creative engagement and consultation process with Totnes Community Development Society for a pioneering new community development: Atmos Totnes. From 17th October to 6th December Encounters led community engagement at the Atmos Totnes Hub for the first stage of consultation.

Latest News: 3 Atmos Outreach Sessions Announced

Saturday 25th April – Follaton Community Hall 12pm – 6pm
Saturday 2nd May – Hall by the Library in the Mansion 10am – 1pm
Monday 11th May – St John’s Church 5pm – 9pm

The Story So Far..

The site planned for Atmos Totnes had been derelict for seven years and holds great significance. It was the site of Brunel’s atmospheric railway experiment, then a major industrial hub for the region through its period as a creamery and employer in the town, to the high profile community campaign to bring it back into use. There is now a legal agreement in place to enable the community to masterplan the use of the whole site and purchase of part of it through a Community Right to build Order that the Totnes Community Development Society plans to submit this year. At that point it will be the first site in the country to developed in this kind of way in the UK. We are delighted to be involved with this pioneering project.

The Community Right to Build Order puts community consultation at the heart of the process, therefore Encounters creative approach to participation, forms a significant contribution to this new way of ‘doing’ community development through Atmos Totnes.

The Atmos Totnes Hub was set up in one of the disused buildings on the site. During the initial 8 week period over 1200 members of the community dropped in to take part in creative participatory activities. These were designed and delivered by Encounters that invite people to consider the past, present and future of the site.

“Inspirational stuff. So exciting to see something incredible happening here that really reflects the community thinking. Very creative way of engaging me thank-you.” – Visitor at the Atmos Totnes Hub.

Information has been on display about the project at the Atmos Totnes Hub to help clarify project plans and involve as many local people as possible in the development process. Integrated with the information sharing were Encounters creative and participatory Invitations to join in that allowed visitors to share their memories of the past and visions of the future. Visitors were invited in a number of creative ways, to think about the whole development and what it will mean for the town as well as exploring their own relationship to the site and its design and function. A roadshow version of some of activities has been taken to local venues and groups which reached over 1000 people.

In addition to the drop in activities taking place during opening hours, design workshops were held with the Architects each Friday and the community will met with members of the project team for Atmos Totnes on Saturdays.

The walls of the Hub started empty and are now brimming with peoples contributions. Supported by a small Heritage Lottery Grant, Encounters have also created a digital archive, Story Machine about the site from the memories stories, facts and information contributed during the engagement process.

“Just brilliant, makes me proud to live here and excited about the future”
“Totally inspiring way of conducting consultation.”
“Wonderful presentation offered with such care, such depth and breadth we would love to be more involved”
“Wonderful to be part of a REAL consultation.”

The start of 2015 saw a second round of consultation, as we once again invited Totnesians to join us at a second round of drop-in sessions on 30th and 31st January at the Atmos Hub.

The purpose of these sessions was to share with you what had been explored thus far, the creative and focussed process being used, and where we are at this point with it all. Your feedback is vital to help frame the next part of this work. It was also a chance to celebrate the thousands of contributions made by you and this community during the first phase of the consultation.

The consultation days were preceded by two weekends in which the Atmos project team was temporarily expanded to include 20 people from across the community.

Follow The Atmos Project:
Tumblr | Flickr | Soundcloud | Historypin