Yorkshire Awards for Planning Excellence

Celebrating Planning Excellence

The RTPI Yorkshire Awards for Planning Excellence continue to recognise and highlight the positive contribution planning professionals make in the communities we serve around the world. 

Congratulations to the Yorkshire Awards for Planning Excellence 2026 winners who were announced at the Yorkshire ceremony in Leeds on 2 July.

Winners

• Best Project - Bradford City Centre Walking and Cycling Improvements Scheme – Transforming Cities Fund by Bradford Metropolitan District Council.
• Best Homes and Communities Scheme - The Fold by Stonewater, Vistry and Brewster Bye Architects
• Young Planner of the Year - Cara Chambers (Stantec)
• Chair's Award - The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease by Carter Jonas 
• Planning Authority of the Year - North Lincolnshire Council
• Small Planning Consultancy of the Year - PB Planning
• Best Plan - Marsden Blueprint - Kirklees Council, Allies and Morrisons and Marsden Blueprint Partnership

Commendations

• Best Project - Base71 Youth Zone by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
• Best Plan - The East Riding Design Code by East Riding of Yorkshire Council
• Young Planner of the Year - Luci Birtwhistle 
• Mid-Size Planning Consultancy of the Year - AAH Consultants 
• Best Homes and Communities Scheme - Lowfield Green York by BDP/ City of York Council

A stepping stone to our national celebration

These winners become national finalists except for Young Planner of the Year who will be judged by the national judges in September. The top five will become Young Planner of the Year national finalists.

High scoring shortlisted project and housing entries* from the regions and nations are also put through for judging in the national awards and will be judged against the other projects and housing entries in their selected categories for the national finalist list. The remaining four direct to national categories** are also judged to complete the national finalist list of 16 categories.

The national finalists will be revealed on 7 October and the winners will be announced and celebrated on 3 December 2026. Details will be published here.

*Project categories: 

Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy  
Excellence in Planning for Wellbeing and Education  
Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture  
Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment  
 

Homes categories: 

Excellence in Planning for Homes and Communities (small schemes under 50 homes) 
Excellence in Planning for Homes and Communities (mid-sized schemes 50-250 homes) 
Excellence in Planning for Homes and Communities (large schemes over 250 homes)
 

**Direct to national categories: 

Excellence in Digital Planning Practice 
International Award for Planning Excellence 
In-house Planning Team of the Year 
Planning Consultancy of the Year 

Thank you to the judges

Thank you to our judges for generously volunteering their time, dedication, and expertise to the judging process, including participating in interviews and site visits. Your commitment and support are truly appreciated. 

Sponsors

Have you considered sponsoring our prestigious 2027 Yorkshire planning awards? Sponsoring the RTPI Yorkshire Awards for Planning Excellence is a powerful way to visibly support planning excellence and connect with a highly engaged professional audience.

If you’re interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sarah Richardson, Regional Manager Yorkshire.

More information

If you have any questions, please visit the awards hub or contact Sarah Richardson.