Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 digital EIS for community engagement
At a glance
As infrastructure projects grow in scale and complexity, so does the challenge of engaging communities in meaningful ways. Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) remain central to public decision‑making, yet their length and technical depth may limit accessibility. We are working to rethink how communities interact with project information. Through digital engagement platforms, we help project teams present complex environmental data in ways that are visual, intuitive and relevant to people’s experience.
The challenge
Public exhibition of an EIS is a critical stage in major projects across Australia. It is the point when communities, stakeholders and decision makers seek clarity about what is proposed and how it may affect them.
Traditional EIS documentation is comprehensive by design and often spans hundreds of pages and multiple technical studies. While this depth supports regulatory assessment, it creates barriers for people who want to understand effects on their neighbourhood, travel patterns or local environment without moving through dense reports.
At the same time, expectations around engagement have shifted. Communities increasingly expect information to be available online, spatially presented and accessible at a time that suits them. This shift accelerated during disruption related to the COVID‑19 pandemic and continued as digital engagement became part of everyday life. We aim to retain technical integrity while improving clarity, reach and participation.
Our response
We have developed a digital engagement approach that places people, location and clarity at the centre of how project information is shared. Using our Engage platform, we translate complex environmental and technical information into map‑based, visual experiences that are easier to navigate and understand.
Rather than asking communities to search through static documents, we invite them to explore project information spatially. This approach supports understanding by allowing users to:
- Explore locations that matter to them
- See proposed infrastructure in its real‑world context
- Explore impacts such as noise, access changes or construction activity
- Access supporting material such as images, video, plain language explanations and document links in one place
This approach does not replace the Environmental Impact Statement. Instead, it complements formal documentation by providing an additional way to engage with key information during the exhibition period. It also supports inclusive engagement by reducing reliance on technical language and offering multiple pathways to understanding.
The Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 project demonstrates how digital engagement can support large‑scale transport infrastructure in Australia. For this project, we supported Transport for NSW by delivering a digital EIS portal that enabled communities to explore the proposal beyond a traditional PDF format.
The portal brought together:
- Spatial data and interactive mapping
- Environmental information linked directly to place
- Narrative content that explains project intent and potential impacts
Community members could interact with the project footprint, understand what the proposal may mean for their local area and explore supporting material at their own pace.
By presenting information visually and geographically, the portal supported more informed community feedback and helped broaden participation for people who may not attend in‑person sessions. It also reflects a growing expectation that engagement tools are accessible, flexible and aligned with how people consume information today.
The impact
Digital engagement platforms are changing the quality of conversations around major projects. By helping people see how proposals relate to their environment, we support more focused and informed feedback.
This approach broadens participation by reaching people who may not engage through traditional channels due to time constraints, location or accessibility needs. It also supports continuity during disruption when face‑to‑face engagement may not be possible.
From a project perspective, clearer communication reduces misunderstanding and builds shared understanding of complex issues. When communities can explore information in ways that make sense to them, engagement shifts towards conversations about outcomes, trade-offs and opportunities.
As infrastructure evolves, the ways we engage with communities must evolve with it. Digital EIS portals and interactive engagement platforms are part of a broader move towards more transparent, accessible and place‑based communication.
For us, this is about supporting better decision-making for clients, regulators and communities. By combining technical rigour with thoughtful design and inclusive communication, we turn complex information into meaningful dialogue.