Winner:

Varsity Town Planning

Varsity Town Planning is a young, forward thinking, female led company that puts people at the heart of planning. We innovate, we respond to a constantly changing landscape and we relish challenges. Putting sustainability front and centre is the best way to create places where people can flourish and put down roots.
Caring for the planet and caring for people go hand in hand.

As a small company we have punched above our weight to win big contracts based on demonstrating our track record of professionalism and dedication. We approach projects both large and small with the same passion.

Judges' citation:

Founded in 2018, Varsity Town Planning grew to a team of four professional planners during 2024, who are ably supported by three other members of staff.

They are a forward-thinking, female led company who put people at the heart of planning, which is evident through both their commitment to their staff, clients and the communities they serve.

The judges noticed the collaboration within the awards submission itself, with different members contributing to sections showing a well-integrated and a team which is proud of its achievements.

Equally impressive was the commitment to the development of team members to explore avenues outside of immediate project needs, including upskilling around ‘make space for girls’ and vertical farming, with findings and learnings shared with the team.

As a result, they have an impressive portfolio of projects - from supporting urban extensions of 1000+ homes in Bedfordshire and the promotion of New Towns through the Task Force, through to their innovative “Ad hoc planning advice” which provides a fixed-cost service for planning advice.

In their own words, they are a small team, working on big projects and we would expect to hear more from them in future.