Selected Case Studies

BAA wanted to understand what local people really thought of the role the airport plays in the local community and the airport’s plans for future expansion. Populus was commissioned to undertake a detailed consultation among residents in local communities.

Populus conducted focus groups in towns and villages close to the airport and on the flight path. These groups used a range of techniques to explore basic attitudes to the airport and its impact on people’s daily lives. In particular the groups examined the extent to which the airport was regarded as local asset and concerns about its social and environmental impact, before exploring reaction to BAA’s plans to expand runway use and increase passenger numbers.

In addition to these focus groups, Populus co-operated in developing a written questionnaire for visitors to the exhibition BAA held as part of its public consultation on increasing the number of passengers using Stansted by making better use of the existing runway.

By systematically surveying local opinion and identifying misconceptions about the airport and its impact, Populus’s research provided BAA with a clear understanding of local opinion. The insight gained has enabled BAA to maximise the effectiveness of its communications and address many of the anxieties uncovered in the research.

Populus was also engaged by BAA to conduct a consultation of local residents towards plans for the building of a second runway. Populus’s report, which was published by BAA in January 2006, can be read here.