David Bonnett Associates have been working with Access Groups for over a decade. The first such group was at the Royal Festival Hall in London but others include the BBC White City, the Roundhouse in London, the Royal Shakespear Theatre. More recent projects include the Sir John Soane Museum, the British Museum and the Stratford City Olympic Village.
Access consultative groups are often a requirement for Arts funded projects or for larger developments. The groups help develop design proposals, through comments and criticisms, in preparations for planning submission or other approvals.
Groups are usually composed of local people with disabilities who have a keen interest in the development of their locality. The group members meet with developers, designers, local authorities and clients to help focus the project on inclusive design issues.
Communication tools, such as tactile plans, are used to explain complicated design proposals and to engage with members of the local community more usually excluded from consultation processes.