With all the challenges faced by the built environment industry in London currently, why should clarity take precedence? The industry's relationship with its most important stakeholders — the people who use the spaces we help create — is faltering. Fixing this will require rebuilding trust, and to do that we need to make our work more legible to people and communities.

Our communication, at times laden with technical jargon and embedded in complex processes, often alienates rather than informs the public. We are not in the habit of telling the stories of our work in a way that people can understand and engage with. The absence of a widely accepted narrative does not lead to a vacuum: rather it leaves ample space for varied interpretations of what “that development up the road” is all about.

Part of delivering on a commitment to clarity will be enhancing transparency. Given the inevitability of trade-offs and the impossibility of fulfilling every aspiration, our integrity hinges on honest communication. The erosion of public trust often stems from failed promises as projects evolve from their initial vision to their final form. A more forthright dialogue about the inherent challenges and risks of development in London could recalibrate expectations and foster a more realistic understanding of potential outcomes.

Most people form their opinions of the built environment from the elements they can directly see and engage with. Taking a leaf from the tech industry's book, we could benefit from focusing more on user experience. By creating more opportunities for public interaction within the development process, we can enhance engagement and understanding. Meanwhile uses that bring people onto sites in the pre-construction or construction stage offer a valuable opportunity to use creative forms of engagement. Digital tools are broadening public involvement in shaping projects.

The call to clarity is more than a call to simplify language; it's a call to refine purpose and process. When people understand the process, the challenges and the decisions made in development, trust grows, creating a stronger foundation for the projects that shape our city.