The local community have been consulted throughout the development of the project.

The committee has always believed that the full involvement of the local community in the project would not only provide the best opportunity for long term sustainability but would also help to provide people with skills, access to training, further education or potential employment either within the project or elsewhere.

The aim of the pre construction consultation was to offer local people the opportunity to influence the garden design, raise awareness of the project and to identify any possible volunteers from within the local community.

This consultation has included a questionnaire, produced by Will Taylor at the Central Issue Community newspaper, and hand delivered to 1000 properties in the immediate area of the site, door to door  visits by members of the committee, open public meetings at various local venues plus presentations at Sacred Heart and Greengate Junior School assemblies.

During the presentations at the local schools a competition was left for the pupils to complete and return to the project team. For the competition the pulils were asked to complete the sentance The Marsh Street Arches and Garden Project will be good for the community because...................................The winners from each school  received JJB vouchers worth £30 with the 3 runners up each receiving JJB vouchers worth £10.

There was also provision on the competition sheets for the pupils to highlight any possible ideas that they may have for the community garden.

In addition to this the Youth Re-Action Team have also included the project in their recent survey work regarding the Regeneration of Barrow as they are keen to be involved with a live, local regeneration project.

This consultation process has also benefitted from the project working in partnership with the local police.  

They have assisted the project  by holding  Streetsafe operations in the surrounding area, amending their standard questionnaire to include the project and other possible community events in the hope that this would raise awareness of the project, identify any possible volunteers from within the local community and help to gauge the level of community participation for future events in the area. This has included community clean ups,  fun days, and sports activities.

For example, during a Streetsafe operation on 13th June 2007, approximately 300 homes within the immediate area of the project were visited and 70 of the amended questionnaires were completed. Several volunteers were identified from the questionnaires and have since been contacted by members of the project committee and the local police to discuss any possible involvement in the project and various other community events.

In March 2008, after receiveing funding from the Central and Hindpool Nehighbour Management Team, the committee commissioned Hugh Massey Architects to conduct a feasibility study on their behalf.  The aim of the study is to enhance the Arches Business Plan in regard to the potential development plans for the railway arches, build on previous consultations conducted by the committee, generate further interest, encourage partner organisation and record the views, opinions and needs of local people.