A range of planning projects from around the UK that promote and support a successful and prosperous economy will be recognised at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2021.
Finalists in the Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy category at this year’s RTPI Awards are:
Great Central Square, submitted by Leicester City Council and Marrons Planning
Great Central Square, a £60m regeneration scheme connecting the Waterside area of Leicester to the heart of the city centre, has been named as a finalist in the Successful Economy category of the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. Featuring two hotels, offices, a pedestrian ‘super crossing’ and the refurbishment of the former Great Central Railway Station into leisure facilities, the development has been described as ‘an exemplar of public and private sector co-operation’.
Horizon 120 Business and Innovation Park, submitted by Strutt & Parker and Braintree District Council
The Horizon 120 Business and Innovation Park in Braintree, Essex, a finalist in the Successful Economy category at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence, is set in high quality public realm with exemplary levels of landscaping. The use of a Local Development Order has led to significant ecological benefits for the site such as bat and bird boxes, and a large pond to provide a new habitat for protected wildlife including great crested newts.
International Advanced Manufacturing Park, submitted by Lichfields
Lichfields’ work on the 392,000sqm International Advanced Manufacturing Park near Sunderland has been rewarded with recognition in the Successful Economy category at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. Responsive, flexible and adaptable planning by Lichfields enabled applications to be fast-tracked and three manufacturing units to be built to tight timescales, meeting an urgent requirement from Nissan for a locally-based supply chain to increase production efficiency.
New Headquarters for CABI, submitted by Ridge and Partners LLP
Ridge and Partners’ work on a new headquarters in Wallingford, Oxfordshire for not-for-profit organization CABI has been recognized in the Successful Economy category at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. The old buildings, constructed for use as a school in the 1960s, have been transformed into an eco-friendly HQ incorporating elements such as a green roof, passive ventilation, and a ‘tree belt’ between the new building and local housing.
Small Scale Employment Space Local Development Order, submitted by Somerset West and Taunton Council
Somerset West and Taunton Council’s innovative use of a Local Development Order (LDO) has supported independent entrepreneurs and small businesses by making the process of bringing forward appropriate development of small-scale employment space easier and faster. The LDO has provided clarity and certainty for any potential applicant while reducing the administrative costs and burdens involved in a full planning application.
Wolverhampton Interchange, submitted by City of Wolverhampton Council / Ion Development
Wolverhampton interchange, shortlisted in the Successful Economy category at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence 2021, is a fully-integrated multi-modal transport hub which has transformed the commercial gateway to Wolverhampton city centre. As well as new state-of the-art railway and bus stations, the site also features the landmark i9 office development, which pays homage to the industrial characteristics of Wolverhampton’s red-brick Victorian architecture.
The Glassworks Phase 1, submitted by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
The first phase of The Glass Works, a new development in the heart of Barnsley, has been named as a finalist in the Successful Economy category at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. The development features Barnsley’s award-winning market, as well as ‘Library @ the Lightbox’, a hub for community activity and learning, and the Market Kitchen, a diverse eating and meeting experience for up to 500 people using locally sourced ingredients.
The RTPI’s annual Awards for Planning Excellence are the longest-running and most respected in the UK planning industry. The awards celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society not just throughout the UK but internationally.
The climax of the ceremony, which will take place on virtual platform, The Awards Room by Evessio, on 29 April, will be the presentation of the Silver Jubilee Cup, awarded to the project adjudged best overall.
In total, 93 projects, teams and individuals across 15 categories have been selected by the independent judges this year. A new category for this year is Planning Heroes in a Pandemic, recognising the innovative work of planners in response to Covid-19.
The judging panel in 2021 will be chaired by Dyan Currie HonMRTPI, chief planner at Brisbane City Council, Australia and immediate Past President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners.
RTPI President Wei Yang FRTPI said: “For more than 40 years, these prestigious awards have celebrated the exceptional work undertaken by town planners. In the middle of a global pandemic, I believe they are more relevant than ever before as we showcase the very best of our profession from all the RTPI’s regions and nations and from countries around the world.
“I am particularly pleased to see this year a new category has been created to recognise the incredible commitment and dedication of planners who have risen to the challenge of responding to the impacts of Covid-19 on the planning system.
“I wish all the finalists the very best of luck at the ceremony.”
Sarah Elliott MRTPI, UK&I Town Planning Lead for Buildings and Places at headline sponsor AECOM, said: “AECOM is proud to once again be a headline sponsor of this year’s RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. The finalists are a diverse mixture of outstanding examples of planning, including new responses driven by the pandemic and climate change. Once again this demonstrates the breadth of the impact the profession has on quality place making and delivery in the built environment, alongside our resilience to evolve and adapt.”
