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.
Shortlist:
Archadia (UK) Ltd t/a WWA Studios
WWA is a multi-disciplinary practice dedicated to creating exceptional, people-centric places that respect our environment. WWA’s interdisciplinary team provides outstanding client-focused services embracing the natural crossover between built environment disciplines and consistently delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget.
WWA’s research-led approach underpins its design philosophy, ensuring that its projects are based on the most recent industry thinking. From multi-acre mixed-use development sites to smaller, more personal projects, WWA has experience navigating the complex UK planning system and championing their clients’ cause. WWA provides architecture, planning, and urban design services, with specialists in low-energy design, ecology, heritage, and arboriculture.
Graham Simpkin Planning Ltd
At GSP, the team of professional planners and architectural staff have over 40 years of experience in handling complex planning and development matters. Dealing with all types of development ranging from relatively small-scale householder proposals to large schemes for residential, commercial, agricultural, and other types of uses, this multi-disciplinary consultancy can help progress projects from initial concepts, through to completed projects.
The team at GSP endeavour to make clients' dealings with the often-complicated planning system as easy as possible. They work closely with their clients, to ensure they provide high level service at an affordable cost.