may cause conflict. Evidence shows that local awareness, support and involvement
are key elements for developing marine renewable energy (Haggett 2011; Rudolph
2014). Indeed, people’s acceptance of a new development is decisive for a project’s
implementation (Roberts and Boucher 2013). The consideration of social acceptance
and local knowledge may thus lead to more competent and well-founded planning
decisions.
Social acceptance is a key concept in literature on human geography, sociology
and other research on the development of new infrastructure projects (see Batel et al.
2013; Devine-Wright 2005). In their seminal paper on this concept, Wüstenhagen
et al. (2007) describe the importance of social acceptance and that it needs to be
urgently considered during the implementation of new policies and projects
(2007:2683). Understanding social acceptance means exploring the conditions that
determine the effective support (and opposition) that any applications receive, and
Wüstenhagen et al. (2007) determine that it consists of interrelated ‘sociopolitical
acceptance’, ‘community acceptance’ and ‘market acceptance’.
In this paper, we address in particular the concept of ‘community acceptance’,
which refers to the ‘specific acceptance of siting decisions and projects by local
stakeholders, particularly residents and local authorities’ (Wüstenhagen et al.
2007:2685). Acceptance is determined by a range of interconnected and contextual
factors, some of which will relate to the project itself (specifics such as a visual
impact; see Haggett 2008); some will relate to the location in which it is planned
(such as impact on local wildlife or the local economy; see Rudolph 2014); and some
will relate to the process through which the project is being developed (perceived
fairness of decision-making processes, the role of public engagement; see Gross
2007; Haggett 2010; Rudolph et al. 2015). All of this matters for a variety of reasons.
As Yearley et al. (2003) document, understanding social acceptance may be important pragmatically – a project is more likely to be consented if it has public support
(Wolsink 2007). But people also may be viewed as citizens who should be involved
and engaged about projects that affect them (Bell et al. 2005); and asking local
people about their local area can help to improve a project by accessing detailed and
rich local knowledge and understanding (Aitken 2009; Wynne 2006).
Social acceptance is therefore a critical issue with the development of any new
project; and we suggest that this is particularly the case with a very new and novel
technological innovation such as a new offshore platform. It is important to understand the views of ‘the community’ – in Wustenhagen et al.’s terminology – this
means local people, key stakeholders, to understand the key local issues and how
they might affect perceptions of the new project (Aitken et al. 2016; Pieczka and
Escobar 2013).
In this research, social acceptance of the multi-use offshore platform was investigated using a multi-method approach (Teddlie and Tashakkori 2011), which was
used to capture a range of different responses to this new concept. The intent was to
meaningfully capture the key concerns of stakeholders and also to collect a broader
sample of information from local people from which generalisable trends could be
observed. Understanding the local context is key; and as the platform is being
designed in a location dependant on tourism, it was also important to survey tourists
to the area. Drawing on best practice from the research methods literature
66
W. Chen et al.
are key elements for developing marine renewable energy (Haggett 2011; Rudolph
2014). Indeed, people’s acceptance of a new development is decisive for a project’s
implementation (Roberts and Boucher 2013). The consideration of social acceptance
and local knowledge may thus lead to more competent and well-founded planning
decisions.
Social acceptance is a key concept in literature on human geography, sociology
and other research on the development of new infrastructure projects (see Batel et al.
2013; Devine-Wright 2005). In their seminal paper on this concept, Wüstenhagen
et al. (2007) describe the importance of social acceptance and that it needs to be
urgently considered during the implementation of new policies and projects
(2007:2683). Understanding social acceptance means exploring the conditions that
determine the effective support (and opposition) that any applications receive, and
Wüstenhagen et al. (2007) determine that it consists of interrelated ‘sociopolitical
acceptance’, ‘community acceptance’ and ‘market acceptance’.
In this paper, we address in particular the concept of ‘community acceptance’,
which refers to the ‘specific acceptance of siting decisions and projects by local
stakeholders, particularly residents and local authorities’ (Wüstenhagen et al.
2007:2685). Acceptance is determined by a range of interconnected and contextual
factors, some of which will relate to the project itself (specifics such as a visual
impact; see Haggett 2008); some will relate to the location in which it is planned
(such as impact on local wildlife or the local economy; see Rudolph 2014); and some
will relate to the process through which the project is being developed (perceived
fairness of decision-making processes, the role of public engagement; see Gross
2007; Haggett 2010; Rudolph et al. 2015). All of this matters for a variety of reasons.
As Yearley et al. (2003) document, understanding social acceptance may be important pragmatically – a project is more likely to be consented if it has public support
(Wolsink 2007). But people also may be viewed as citizens who should be involved
and engaged about projects that affect them (Bell et al. 2005); and asking local
people about their local area can help to improve a project by accessing detailed and
rich local knowledge and understanding (Aitken 2009; Wynne 2006).
Social acceptance is therefore a critical issue with the development of any new
project; and we suggest that this is particularly the case with a very new and novel
technological innovation such as a new offshore platform. It is important to understand the views of ‘the community’ – in Wustenhagen et al.’s terminology – this
means local people, key stakeholders, to understand the key local issues and how
they might affect perceptions of the new project (Aitken et al. 2016; Pieczka and
Escobar 2013).
In this research, social acceptance of the multi-use offshore platform was investigated using a multi-method approach (Teddlie and Tashakkori 2011), which was
used to capture a range of different responses to this new concept. The intent was to
meaningfully capture the key concerns of stakeholders and also to collect a broader
sample of information from local people from which generalisable trends could be
observed. Understanding the local context is key; and as the platform is being
designed in a location dependant on tourism, it was also important to survey tourists
to the area. Drawing on best practice from the research methods literature
66
W. Chen et al.