BEST PROJECT, BEST IN REGION & PLANNING FOR HERITAGE & CULTURE CATEGORY WINNER
Shakespeare North Playhouse - submitted by Knowsley Council
A ten-year vision to deliver a world class cultural venue in the small market town of Prescot and showcase the town’s fascinating, but little known, connections with William Shakespeare became a reality thanks to a collaboration between Knowsley Council and Shakespeare North Trust. This partnership’s shared vision and infectious enthusiasm for this project secured the support of Dame Judi Dench and Dame Glenda Jackson (to name just a few!). Now the Shakespeare North Playhouse is attracting thousands of people into Prescot, providing an engaging cultural programme, creating hundreds of jobs and contributing a major boost to the local economy.
Judges‘ comment: "Crucially the judges found planning and the planners played an integral role in the delivery of this project. A decade in the making, it is a genuine plan-led scheme, enshrined in a SPD and secured through subsequent applications. Thankfully the final built out scheme has retained many of the original design features and it is a true asset to the people of Knowsley, the wider North West, and the whole performing arts sector."
Cllr Tony Brennan, Knowsley's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development said: I am delighted that our planning service and the Shakespeare North Playhouse project has been recognised at the National RTPI Awards. It was an honour to win the North West Award earlier this year and is a great achievement that we have been successful at a national level. I’m delighted for our dedicated team of officers and partners who worked for many years to deliver our ambitious plan for Prescot and that their efforts have, quite rightly, been recognised nationally.”
PLANNING FOR COMMUNITIES CATEGORY COMMENDATIONS
Richmond Street, Manchester - submitted by Watch this Space
This compact gritty brownfield site has been transformed. Formerly a car park and bin store area, the redevelopment has: delivered much needed housing in the city centre; drastically improved the streetscene and the setting of nearby heritage assets; whilst improving safety on this back street through natural surveillance. The modern design uses sympathetic materials and re-establishes the building line lost in the 1950s with the removal of a 19th Century terrace. Bringing city living back into central parts of Manchester also helps to support vibrancy of the area and the economy (outside of the working week and night-time economy).
Woodford Garden Village - submitted by Lichfields
Woodford Garden Village offers a vibrant, diverse community providing a range of opportunities including employment and community facilities, which sit alongside a mix of housing types and tenures.
Through the adoption of the traditional Garden Village principles an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable community has been created for both the existing residents of Woodford and the new residents of WGV.
PLANNING FOR HEALTH & WELLBEING AND PLANNING FOR THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CATEGORY WINNER
Mayfield Park - submitted by Deloitte LLP, SEW and U+I (a Landsec Company)
Manchester city centre’s first new public park in more than 100 years. Mayfield Park is a leading example of successful regeneration of brownfield land to create a sustainable, accessible space which improves the natural environment through enhancement and promotes health and wellbeing.
Judges‘ comment: "The judges were very impressed by the inclusive and sustainable-led approach and the commitment to maximising accessibility and safety to benefit as many users of the space as possible. It has the potential to leave a long lasting legacy and benefit future generations to come."
PLANNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL ECONOMY CATEGORY WINNER
University of Central Lancashire Student Centre & University Square, Preston - submitted by the University of Central Lancashire
The University of Central Lancashire transformed its physical linkage with the City of Preston, providing a “front door” to the University and a safe community space for students, staff and residents. The conception, planning and delivery of the project was a triumph in large-scale partnership working which involved many overlapping and moving elements, and unique complexities, all tackled innovatively, purposefully and professionally by the University, LCC and PCC, with support from many more partners besides. Over 2 million working hours were committed to delivering this ground-breaking programme to regenerate an area of >10,000m2, with a value of >£80million.
Judges‘ comment: "The judges recognised the project has helped re-pivot the city centre and has led to significant and further investment as part of an improved place agenda. The new educational community and teaching buildings have created a striking flagship architectural response to an area previously defined by poor highways infrastructure and inferior building structures."
COMMENDATIONS
Chester Market - submitted by Cheshire West & Chester Council
After many years of planning, Chester’s new Market in the heart of the city’s historic core only opened in November 2022 yet is already transforming the city centre with over 860,000 visits since opening; and has been the most significant development in Chester for over 40 years.
Given Chester’s history, much consultation, care and planning went into protecting the archaeology of the site, which was once one of the largest Roman fortresses in Britain. Despite finding over 10,000 Roman artefacts, the works disturbed less than 3% of the remains, with the buildings designed to ‘float’ above the archaeology.
Time Square - submitted by Warrington Borough Council
Time Square is a new £142 million mixed use scheme that has revitalised Warrington Town Centre. This fantastic new scheme has created a unique family-friendly shopping, restaurant and leisure/cinema experience, including a modern contemporary home for Warrington’s famous market, and modern centralised office accommodation for the local authority.
The multi-award-winning market provides Warrington with more than 50 independent traders selling a wide range of fresh food, home-made goods and services. You will also find the fantastic Cookhouse who provide a huge variety of hot and cold dishes alongside two independent bars.