RESULTS OF THE RTPI SW PLANNING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2009

Sponsored by WYG Planning

Planning is evolving into a positive process which seeks to make things happen, as demonstrated by the 2009 awards for planning achievement just announced by the RTPI South West. The overall winner’s award goes to Cabot Circus, the 15 hectare retail, leisure and residential scheme by the Bristol Alliance (a Hammerson and Land Securities joint venture, with Turley Associates as planning advisors) adjacent to Broadmead in Bristol city centre. Innovative design, high energy efficiency and good local community involvement have combined, amongst other things, to make this complex scheme a major planning achievement, both in the context of Bristol itself and also of the whole region. The Strategic Leaders' Board and South West Council Infrastructure Planning Advice Note produced by Arup and Knight Frank, probably the most comprehensive guide yet to this important subject, takes the main award in the ‘other planning work’ category.  Completing the awards are ‘commendations’ for the Torbay Mayoral Vision and the Radstock Rail Lands scheme, both the work of LDA Design and the Master Plan for the Tremough Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, by Terence O’Rourke Ltd.   Presentation of the awards, which are once again generously sponsored by WYG Planning, took place on Wednesday 20 January 2010 at the Cabot Circus Management Scheme.

The South West region awards, which have been made annually since 1992, are judged by a panel of professional planners, which considers the regional merits of entries to the RTPI’s national awards competition. For 2009 there were nine such submissions representing work across all parts of the South West, as either ‘schemes on the ground’ or ‘other planning work’. Two of the entries, Cabot Circus and Radstock Rail Lands, have made it to the shortlist in the national competition. These national awards are to be announced and presented at a ceremony at the London Hilton on 4 February 2010.

Andy England, RTPI South West Chairman 2009 said “ helping to assess the submissions for this year’s Awards has reopened my eyes to the wealth of talent and good practice we have here . All have been concerned to make sure that something positive stems from their work. Planners really can have a positive impact as long as we don’t stagnate into our more traditional roles as simply ‘controllers’ of development “

Author:

Helen Clarke

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

01-Apr-08

Categories:

Nations & Regions 

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