Wales Planning Award

Promoted and administered by RTPI Cymru, the purpose of the Award scheme is to recognise, applaud and publicise examples of good planning practice in Wales. 

The 2009 Awards, sponsored by DPP, were announced at the RTPI Cymru Annual Dinner on 6th November 2009.

Wales Planning Award 2009

Wales Planning Award 2008

Ebbw Valley Railway - Wales Planning Award 2008

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council led the project supported by Caerphilly CBC and Newport City Council. Capita Symonds were the project managers, and co-ordinated and undertook elements of the outline design. Amey Infrastructure was the detailed design and build contractor.

The £30 million project involved upgrading 18 miles of track, installing a three mile passing loop, renewing signalling, upgrading structures, providing real-time passenger information and constructing six new stations to permit an hourly passenger service from Cardiff to Ebbw Vale. The service opened in February 2008.

The project was achieved with the financial support of the Assembly, including Objective 1 monies, and the skill of town and transport planners making the case for the project and co-ordinating the work of other professionals in the delivery of the railway.

There are already signs that this facility is having an impact and the judges believe that its benefits will be felt for many years to come as it is perhaps one of the most significant infrastructure projects to be carried out in the valleys in recent years. The early success of the project is illustrated by:

• its usage being already well above that projected as a competitive alternate to the private car with round trip prices to Cardiff of £6.30p and a 95% reliability record;
• its contribution to the success of other initiatives to regenerate the valley communities such as The Works in Ebbw Vale and the Llanhilleth Area Regeneration Scheme;
• the renewal of derelict sites such as the station areas; and
• the fact that consideration is already being given to extending the Park ‘n Ride site in Ebbw Vale.

Highly Commended - The Works

The Works Regeneration proposals in Ebbw Vale also caught the attention of the Judges who awarded it Highly Commended.

This is a project for the regeneration of the 75 hectare derelict steelworks site adjacent to Ebbw Vale town centre to create a new urban district.

Within the last three years 80% of the reclamation works have been completed, a team of consultants headed by Environmental Resources Management (ERM) has been established, a master plan for mixed use development has been agreed, the construction of a new hospital is due to start in December 2008, design codes and briefs have been prepared to guide development and progress is being made on restoring a listed building, and the first phases of residential and commercial development.

The Judges were impressed by the quality of the master plan, the progress that is being made in such a short time and by the key roles being played planners in this challenging and impressive project.

They were pleased to see that the plans and briefs are being used to drive up the quality of development, exploit the perceived weaknesses of the site, such as the large basement areas and to ensure that the new development is properly integrated with the existing town centre and adjoining residential areas.

highly Commended - Cardiff City Centre Strategy 2007-10 and Area Appraisals

Cardiff City Centre Strategy 2007-10 and Area Appraisals is a corporately agreed policy which sets the strategic priorities for the ongoing regeneration of the central area of Cardiff. This is a review of an earlier version of the strategy which now incorporates Cardiff Bay. The area appraisals use the ‘Placecheck’ methodology of the Urban Design Alliance to look at all aspects each area.

What the Judges liked about Cardiff’s approach is:

• the extent of the public engagement in the development of the policy documents;
• the quality and presentation of the strategy and supporting documents;
• the holistic way it allows the Council and its partners to consider issues relating to the city centre;
• the way it has acted as a flexible framework for positive planning  and improving the public realm with resources from planning legal agreements;
• the key role of planners in all aspects of strategy development and implementation;
• the significant evidence of the impact of the Council’s approach.

Highly Commended - Cardiff Fitzhamon Embankment Public Art Scheme

The Cardiff Fitzhamon Embankment Public Art Scheme was the third scheme Highly Commended in the 2008 Awards. This is one of the projects carried out under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, which has been facilitated by the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal planning officers. Food emerged as a key theme from the community consultation. Local residents and children worked with artists to produce over a 1000 images, patterns and forms inspired by food. The result is four pieces of art based on the forms of spices and a recipe book – not the traditional outputs of town planners!

The Judges were particularly impressed with the way planning staff have worked with the local community to create a relevant and interesting piece of illuminated public art and quality floorscape. The result is that a previously untidy piece of urban landscape in a strategically important position has been significantly enhanced. The information panels provided on site about the background to the project and the facilities for the homeless are also interesting although now suffering from a lack of maintenance. 

Author:

Roisin Willmott

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

24-Jul-08

Categories:

Nations & Regions 

This article has been read 3531 times.