metrics

• 11,000
• signatures to lift offshore wind ban

• £20+
• billion in funding secured for Sizewell C

• #1
• most accurate polling results in '24 election

Equipping the leading UK policy & advocacy consultancy to modernize public engagement and influence national legislation

In the UK, major infrastructure projects, from nuclear power stations to lithium mines, face a paradox. These developments promise jobs, energy security, and economic growth. Yet they often stall not because they lack merit, but because project sponsors struggle to demonstrate genuine public support to decision-makers.

The challenge is structural. UK infrastructure projects require extensive public consultations, with numerous government agencies serving as statutory consultees on planning applications. These consultations often elicit responses primarily from those in opposition to projects, who are anecdotally more often than not in the minority. Meanwhile, the companies building these projects often navigate fragmented digital communication systems—MailChimp for emails, SurveyMonkey for feedback, Eventbrite for events—creating isolated data pools that make it nearly impossible to understand who supports what and why.

Enter Stonehaven, a global strategy and advocacy consultancy that's mastered the intersection of business, politics, and public sentiment. Part of the SHGH Group, alongside sustainability experts Robertsbridge and research and polling firm Public First, Stonehaven built its reputation on a simple insight: if you want government approval for major projects, show that real constituents are on board.

Their track record proves it works. Public First, part of the same SHGH group as Stonehaven, has become a trusted polling partner for the news org POLITICO, and Stonehaven's MRP projection ahead of the UK's 2024 general election was the most accurate among major outlets. For three years, they've used NationBuilder with their clients to turn voter intelligence into action, delivering key results such as:

• 11,000+ petition signatures leading to policy change (such as a major onshore wind ban lifted)
  

• Campaign websites launched in days instead of months
  

• 2-month development cycles reduced to minutes with ActionButton

NationBuilder as integrated campaign infrastructure

Consolidated platform to eliminate data silos

Clients often arrive with disparate systems such as MailChimp, SurveyMonkey, and Eventbrite, creating wasted data and missed opportunities.

"Our guidance to them is to say, ‘Get this all in one place so that you're not wasting your data in different buckets.’ When we bring it all together, we can create much more powerful segments," says Chris Loy, Director at Stonehaven Global.  

With NationBuilder, Stonehaven:

• Tracks page views and email engagement
  

• Segments audiences by interests and behavior
  

• Surveys supporters to refine messaging
  

• Activates the right people at critical moments

Speed to market for UK infrastructure campaigns

For projects on tight timelines, speed matters.

Timeline comparison:

• Traditional development: 2+ months for consultation tools
  

• NationBuilder for campaign site and people database management, ActionButton for surveying and instant deployment

Loy and the team at Stonehaven have set up some of these campaign websites in a matter of days, but often closer to four weeks. And ActionButton is near-instantaneous compared to other advocacy tools.

ActionButton allows supporters to:

• Email MPs and officials
  

• Submit consultation responses
  

• Share campaigns on social media
  

• Track engagement automatically

This agility was crucial for campaigns like Britain Remade and the Sizewell C Consortium.

Real-world impact of Stonehaven campaigns

Britain Remade: Policy change through people power

Using NationBuilder petitions, Britain Remade secured over 11,000 signatures calling for the removal of the onshore wind ban. The ban was lifted.

Campaign elements:

• Multi-regional approach for England, Scotland, and Wales
  

• Quiz functionality for supporter education
  

• Coordinated media and grassroots mobilization
  

• ActionButton utilization: constituent-to-MP direct advocacy

Sizewell C nuclear: From supply chain to parliamentary influence

For the £20+ billion Sizewell C project, Stonehaven worked with the Sizewell C team to build out and show public support and regional economic benefits. Of particular note was how Stonehaven supported the separate Sizewell C Consortium - a group of over 300 businesses across the UK - which they helped to manage using a website built on NationBuilder.  "With NationBuilder, we were able to tie up the various processes the Consortium had in place to bring businesses on board. This meant rebuilding their website on NationBuilder and using its nimble email and CRM functions to reach the businesses quickly when there was a moment where we needed their help,” Loy said. 

“For example, we were able to help provide businesses with easy ways to contact their local representatives to show their support for the project and make their voices heard around key moments.”

Campaign tactics:

• Supply chain engagement across constituencies
  

• Targeted messaging to MPs
  

• Coalition building for pre-election advocacy

Result: Continued government backing and final investment decision secured.

The Stonehaven approach

Stonehaven’s approach is about finding people who genuinely benefit from a project—local businesses, residents concerned about energy security, communities seeking opportunity—and giving them tools to be heard when it matters. This, in turn, gives decision makers the confidence and “space” they need to publicly back projects.

"Typically, what we're trying to do with any campaign is three things," says Loy. "We're trying to reach as many people as possible who are neutral or supportive of a project. We're trying to engage with them multiple times. And we're trying to activate them at certain points where we need them."

That activation might mean consultation responses during regulatory windows, emails to MPs before debates, or petitions demonstrating public support. Timing is everything. For example, when Britain Remade needed momentum for lifting the onshore wind ban, or the Sizewell C Consortium needed businesses to make their voices heard before the development of last year’s General Election manifestos, Stonehaven was able to use NationBuilder to move fast with new petition websites or quick email campaigns.

With NationBuilder consolidating supporter data and enabling instant advocacy through ActionButton, what used to take two months now deploys in minutes. Every supporter interaction contributes to constituency-level data that resonates with elected officials. That data granularity comes from their unique approach to polling.

The data advantage: Polling that predicted outcomes

Stonehaven combines campaign technology with advanced voter research. Surveys every 2–4 weeks feed into MRP models for constituency-level insights. MRP is a statistical technique that combines large-scale polling with census data for public opinion polling and voter research.

Stonehaven’s MRP projection ahead of 2024’s UK general election was the closest out of any of the major polling assets. A fact Loy attributes to their ability to segment, focus on certain communities, and utilize their tools to achieve as much granularity as possible.

In turn, Stonehaven is able to translate this data into action using NationBuilder by:

• Framing arguments for specific voter segments
  

• Demonstrating political deliverability
  

• Showing policymakers genuine constituent support
  

• Adjusting messaging in real-time

Conclusion

The infrastructure projects shaping Britain's future—energy security, housing, economic competitiveness—shouldn't be decided by whoever shouts loudest. They should reflect genuine public will, informed by facts and mobilized through democratic participation.

Stonehaven proves this works. Britain Remade and Sizewell C demonstrate that rigorous voter research plus rapid deployment technology overcomes opposition and influences national policy. The response rates from constituents and secured investment decisions aren't flukes. They're the result of understanding what voters think and how to activate them strategically.

The most important lesson is about the long game. Most campaigns celebrate approval and disappear, watching support erode during construction. Stonehaven stays engaged, using NationBuilder to keep communities informed and maintain political relationships. This sustained engagement—reach, engage, activate, repeat—turns controversial proposals into community assets.

For complex infrastructure projects, the Stonehaven model offers a blueprint: consolidate data, act fast when political windows open, and genuine engagement is needed to build grassroots support and advocacy. NationBuilder provides the platform. Stonehaven shows what's possible when strategy, data, and technology work together.

The built environment that emerges isn't just better planned—it's more democratically legitimate. And in a climate where trust in institutions is critically low, that legitimacy might be the most valuable infrastructure of all.

Contact Stonehaven

Website: stonehavenglobal.com
Focus areas: policy development, advocacy campaigns, voter research, infrastructure projects, energy transition, economic growth initiatives
Part of SHGH Group: Robertsbridge and Public First

About NationBuilder

NationBuilder is a community organizing platform trusted by campaigns, nonprofits, and agencies to reach, engage, and activate supporters.

Learn more: nationbuilder.com/partners

Case study data compiled from November 2025 partner interview, public polling results, and published outcomes. All metrics verified with Stonehaven Global.