Planning consultants are set to be recognised for the first time alongside planning authorities, developers and architects of any winner of the Housing Design Awards. Launched in 1948 with the goal of rewarding better municipal post-war rebuilding, the HDA are the only awards promoted by all five major professional institutions – RICS, RIBA, RTPI, Landscape Institute and Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.
The awards are sponsored by a number of government departments including the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUCH) as well as the built environment professions. This year will see a change to the awards format with a series of looking and learning events taking place around the country from July to October. The events will be located near winning schemes to showcase best practice in the sector.
The development story of winning schemes is often filmed, complete with interviews with residents. Project award winners become animations. Films of more than 80 recent winners and the project information on more than a thousand recent schemes can be seen online at www.hdawards.org
How to enter
Awards are given each year for schemes with planning approval but not occupied (Project) and those which are occupied and at least 25% built out (Completed). Entry is online and a database of entrants is used by awards partners including government departments and agencies as a resource of best practice in the housing sector.
Project Award entries must have received full planning approval between 1 January 2021 and the entry deadline date of 4 March 2022. Completed award entries should not have been more than 25% occupied at 1 January 2020.
For more information and to enter please visit the HDA website.
Could you be a judge?
The awards send a cross-disciplinary panel of 20 judges from key industry stakeholders, including Homes England and the GLA to visit schemes shortlisted from about 150 entries each year. DLUCH’s recently appointed head of architecture Sarah Allan joins the panel alongside the RTPI's nominated judges.
To apply to be a judge at the HDA awards RTPI members should email their entries to [email protected] by Thursday 4 March.
