A flexible workspace in Hartlepool and a manufacturing facility between Sunderland and South Tyneside have shared the top prize at the Royal Town Planning institute (RTPI) North East Awards for Planning Excellence 2020.
The BIS, entered by Hartlepool Borough Council, and the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, entered by Lichfields, were named joint winners at the online ceremony, broadcast as a YouTube Premiere.
The BIS (pictured below) features studios and offices for the creative industries sector in the previously derelict Grade II-Listed former General Post Office Building in Hartlepool. Judges described it as a ‘key catalyst project’ in the city’s Innovation and Skills Quarter regeneration strategy, significantly contributing to the revitalisation of the Church Street Victorian conservation area.
Councillor Shane Moore, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “This is another fantastic feather in the cap for a real Hartlepool success story and we and our project partners are tremendously proud of what we have achieved. Congratulations go to everyone involved in this ground-breaking project, which provides a superb environment in which small businesses can flourish and grow.”
The second project, the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) (pictured below), will deliver 392,000sqm of industrial floor space for advanced manufacturing and automotive uses on a 100-hectare site immediately to the north of Nissan’s Sunderland plant , creating around 7,850 jobs.
Lichfields Senior Director Harvey Emms said: "We are very proud to see IAMP achieve the Award for Planning Excellence. It is a regionally and nationally significant project that showcases Lichfields' responsiveness, flexibility and adaptability to deliver permissions for our clients."
RTPI North East Chair Timothy Crawshaw MRTPI said: "The judges decided that both these projects demonstrated high levels of planning skill, judgement and vision, and that this year there would be joint overall winners. They showcased the core role of planning professionals in leading on challenging schemes and being central to the delivery of regional game changers. Both entrants should be proud of their achievements."
Other projects commended at the ceremony included The Rise at Scotswood, a housing development in Newcastle submitted by New Tyne West Development Company, featuring 1,800 energy-efficient homes.
Lee McGray, Development Director at New Tyne West Development Company, said: “We are delighted to be recognised by the judging panel for our exemplary approach to partnership working in creating a new and thriving housing market in the west end of Newcastle. We would like to thank Keepmoat, Barratt and all our partnership organisations.”
A special award was presented by Chair Timothy Crawshaw to The Catalyst, entered by Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University.
The Catalyst, situated in the Newcastle Helix quarter, is a flagship building dedicated to global research and innovation and is home to Newcastle University’s National Innovation Centres for Aging and Data as well as the National Institute for Health Research Innovation Observatory.
Ian Garfield, Director of Estates & Facilities/Estate Support Service at Newcastle University, said: “The team at Newcastle University are delighted to have won this award and especially pleased to have won jointly with Newcastle City Council Planning Department. I am extremely proud of the building and the collaboration between the University, design team, building users, wider community and the planners which has produce such a fantastic facility.”
Cllr Ged Bell, Newcastle City Council Cabinet Member for Employment and Culture, said: "This is great news. The Catalyst is arguably one of the most striking and unique buildings in the city. It's particularly gratifying the judges recognised its strong green credentials when climate change poses a challenge to our planet as well as the important part our planners played in delivering this exciting job-creating regeneration scheme. It's the second time a building on Helix has won a RTPI award - the first being the Urban Sciences Building in 2018. The site is being rapidly transformed now and I don't think this will be the last building on that site to pick up such a prestigious award."
Winners of the RTPI’s regional awards qualify automatically for the RTPI’s prestigious National Awards for Planning Excellence, scheduled for April 2021.
