Shortlisted Finalists

Entered by: London Legacy Development Corporation

The LLDC has prepared an Evening and Night time Economy SPD that provides guidance to ensure the growth in the Evening and Night Time economy is encouraged, whilst being managed correctly and sustainably, to benefit all and not to the detriment of other development and activity. The SPD has been revised to acknowledge the impact that the pandemic has had on the economy as well as to emphasise the importance of the appropriate planning to support the evening and night time activities and ensure that businesses and centres can adapt to become more resilient.

 

Entered by: Sphere25

Haringey and London have seen a significant increase in the number of people rough
sleeping. Hill Group’s Foundation 200 scheme, alongside support from Haringey Council,
provided a modular development to take people off the streets and into a safe, secure, and
well-designed space to enable them to get back on their feet with on-site support provided.

The development includes 33 modular units for homeless accommodation and site
management. The scheme has been designed carefully in consideration of neighbours and
secured temporary permission with a minimal build period, maximising its positive social,
economic, and sustainable purposes.

 

Entered by: Arup and London Legacy Development Corporation

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has collaborated with Arup’s Town Planning and Inclusive Design specialists to improve the safety of women and girls across the LLDC site. Following an extensive consultation, Arup worked with key stakeholders and multiple built environment disciplines on the creation of measures addressing the challenges raised through the consultation.

They balancing the competing needs of the challenging and complex site to develop recommendations that ensured the site would be safer and more equitable for women and girls.

 

Entered by: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Planners at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea acted proactively to develop a planning framework at all levels to address the Council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2040. They are well on track to produce an accelerated New Local Plan.

Their vision is for the Borough to be inclusive, green and liveable delivering on their commitment of putting communities first. Alongside they have adopted a new Greening SPD and are one of the first authorities in the country to be introducing a Local Listed Building Development Consent Order for solar panels.

 

Entered by: East Devon District Council

The multi-disciplinary team from East Devon District Council have transformed an ambitious green infrastructure policy into practice, giving the fledging Clyst Valley Regional Park wings! Starting small, sharing resources across local authority boundaries, they have now grown into a partnership of seventeen organizations. Their springboard ‘Great Trees’ project won Pride of Devon for its practical engagement of volunteers and focus on wellbeing. With a strong brand, clear vision and action plan, defined in a 25-year masterplan generated through open dialogue, they have demonstrated the impact that planners can have on sustainability. 

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It was evident to the Judges that Planners are leading and working with the local community and other public and private sector bodies, to deliver on the care and maintenance of the Clyst Valley as a valuable asset. ‘Soft engagement’ is going hand in hand with ‘hard’ infrastructure delivery in what East Devon Council sees as ‘planning beyond planning’. The Judges concluded that this is an excellent project; as one of the Judges stated “this is what master planning is for- setting out a framework for action on the ground”

Entered by Feria Urbanism

Feria Urbanism is a dynamic, award-winning design studio. We deliver local change by making community aspiration the foundation of our activity. This is enabling and gives people a voice in the design of playful, multifaceted places that enhance local ecologies and community life. We use a range of digital and real life tactics to learn from local knowledge, hopes, and collective dreaming. We have an active interest in playable cities and urban ecology. Feria Urbanism is a small agile team. We love to collaborate and feel comfortable leading projects or working as part of a larger team.

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The Judges concluded that: Feria Urbanism is an impressive, very small consultancy clearly operating as a team, with a ‘people focussed’ approach, effectively using innovative techniques. The strong urban design focus, the links with academia and work/leadership on community engagement are particular features.  

Entered by Savills 

Savills Wimborne Planning combines local expertise and market insight with the multi-disciplinary reach of the wider business. The team places trust and integrity at the heart of everything we do, and this gives our clients, colleagues, suppliers, partners and investors the confidence to work with us. We work on a wide range of schemes locally and across the UK and use our experience to provide creative, flexible solutions to our clients’ projects and foster a positive, innovative culture for clients and staff.

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Frances is an enthusiastic, Senior Planning Policy Officer at Dorset Council who is genuinely passionate about place making. Leading on big issues such as housing, she has presented successfully at a Local Plan examination and strives for social equality. Her innovative thinking resulted in a unique consultation that was inclusive and fully accessible, with huge numbers of visits to the webpages, webinars, podcasts associated with the plan. She passes on her enthusiasm through work experience to large groups of young adults. They learn through doing and as such, she captures their interest in this unique profession.

The Judges said that Frances has great confidence and impressed  them with her grasp of issues facing planning and planning professionals and how she saw a role as being a ‘digital champion’ for Dorset Council. Particularly impressive was her involvement with the Dorset Young Planners network and her work in ‘Speakers for schools’, in which she has been supported by the RTPI nationally. The Judges were clear that Frances is and will continue to be an outstanding ambassador for planning and an inspiration to other young planners”.

Emily is a conscientious young planner who shines as a leader, particularly in her role as the chair of the West of England Young Planners steering group where she leads by example. She is an intelligent and greatly skilled planner which is demonstrated by her recent appointment to Senior Planner at AECOM. She is passionate about the work she produces both within her role and as part of the Young Planners where she has recently been engaging with education institutions and networks to support future young planners. 

 

The Judges concluded that Emily is an impressive young planner actively involved with SW Young Planners and supporting APC Candidates. Emily already is, and will continue to develop, as an excellent ambassador for planning.

Chris has experience in both strategic planning and development management and as such has a great overview of the planning system. He leads on a range of projects at Dorset Council from renewable energy, to housing allocations and new settlements. He is an asset to our team and always helps others. He is calm, always thinking critically and committed to his work.

 

Overall the Judges concluded that Chris is a solid conscientious young planner gradually working up the career ladder. They were impressed with his interest and expertise in streamlining processes through digitalisation especially in the Local Plan consultation process.

This year's Chair's Award champions those projects, plans, people or teams that are clearly demonstrating how planning can have a positive influence on health, wellbeing and/or inclusivity. It is chosen as the discretion of the Chair. 

The 2021 Chair, Angharad Williams said that “The team demonstrated throughout their presentation their sheer commitment to developing relationships within the community and with people of all ages and abilities. The extensive range of projects takes inspiration from an art and design background, involving the community within their work demonstrates their passion for inclusive design on a personal level and their ambitions for creating future dementia friendly design is commended. I am excited to see what future projects are developed and encourage others to continue being passionate about the importance of inclusive design”.

This year's Chair's Award champions those projects, plans, people or teams that are clearly demonstrating how planning can have a positive influence on health, wellbeing and/or inclusivity. It is chosen as the discretion of the Chair. 

She highly commended this entry for their consideration of inclusive design in their fantastic drive to consult with the community and consider the need to widen footpaths and make them accessible for those with wheelchairs and others.