2019 Winners
Overall Winner and winner of Excellence in Planning Delivery category:
Somerdale (Entered by Barton Willmore)
Steeped in history and loved by locals, the redevelopment of the old Somerdale Cadbury's Factory in the historic market town of Keynsham was a high profile, politically sensitive project which has delivered a high-quality, successful new neighbourhood and a valuable legacy for the local community. Barton Willmore successfully project managed and oversaw 19 specialist consultants and secured planning permission for the 90ha site, which faced multiple layers of complex constraints including: flood risk; green belt; ecology and important trees; maintaining and improving sports provision; numerous factory buildings; contamination and the Roman town of Trajectus found underneath part of the site.
Category results
EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING DELIVERY
Winner:
Somerdale (Submitted by Barton Willmore)
Highly Commended:
Swanage Pier Restoration and Regeneration (submitted by the Swanage Pier Trust)
This £2.2m project involved the urgent repair of the Pier, replacing 41 Greenheart piles and refurbishment of the Grade II listed Marine Villas, creating education, interpretation, catering and retail experiences with contemporary programmes, based on the Pier's heritage and the Jurassic Coast. A Learning Officer supports educational groups visiting in 'shoulder periods', extending the season and benefitting local accommodation. The marine environment and exposing the original salt-water baths are new offers in this visitor centre. High-quality catering facilities have been developed, providing 5 new jobs with 2 extra planned and up to 20 part time posts in summer, including trainees, all adding a new high quality visitor experience to Swanage.
Read the entry and before and after photos
EXCELLENCE IN OTHER PLANNING WORK
Award for the best submission:
Silverlake (submitted by Savills)
Savills managed the planning process for Habitat First, delivering a unique development of 1,000 holiday units and leisure facilities on 230ha of quarry workings. The collaborative approach obtained full local authority backing, commendation from Natural England and the EA, and successful community engagement generated local support. Co-investing in commercial development and natural capital will generate 123 local jobs, a range of community benefits and public access, diversifying year-round tourism and boosting the local economy by a projected £22m pa. The first 60 units and leisure facilities are complete ( 30 under construction), within 100ha of managed habitat, awarded 'Excellent' status in the Building with Nature Accreditation.
Highly Commended:
Southmead Regeneration -working for the community (submitted by the Nash Partnership)
A community-led project to improve the centre of Southmead (one of the UK's most deprived wards) by making it vibrant and exciting for the people who live there. It seeks to regenerate an area which has a specific need for smaller homes for first time buyers and older people.
Working hand-in-hand with the local community, Nash Partnership and Streets Reimagined developed a masterplan vision to transform this central area. It involves building on under-used open space and council-owned sites to deliver around 300 new homes at the heart of the community. The project will also provide local facilities including a community centre, library, youth centre and a healthy living centre.
Commended:
Estate regeneration in Taunton (submitted by the Nash Partnership)
Nash Partnership's brief was to work with the local community and agree an approach (refurbishment or regeneration) to address the structural issues involving 186 Woolaway properties in Priorswood, Taunton. Either option would cause huge upheaval for the community, needing residents to temporarily move out of the area while the work was completed.
Through a truly inclusive, transparent and "outstanding" (The Design Review Panel) approach to engagement, Nash Partnership gained the support from many residents who gradually agreed design and delivery solutions for this sensitive project. Proposals have since been approved and will bring economic, social, environmental benefits for the place and its people.
South West Young Planner of the Year 2019
Karen Phimister, Planning Policy Officer, Swindon Borough Council
"Karen was a passionate, knowledgeable planner who uses her previous non planning experience to help inform and enhance her current planning role. Karen's understanding of current legislation, planning changes and understanding of the benefits of community consultation is exemplary. Karen has a good breadth of planning experience and is taking on new challenges which will enhance her understanding of planning and enable her to keep growing personally and professionally. Karen's commitment to learning was also evident as she helped to establish a 'lunch and learn' session. Overall, Karen is a well-rounded young planner who will be an excellent example to all young planners across the region".
The SW Awards for Planning Excellence 2019 are sponsored by Stride Treglown and WYG
"Stride Treglown are delighted to have continued our sponsorship of the SW RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence in 2019. The quality of the diverse submissions was again high and demonstrated the importance of the input of planners in the development process and in particular the ability to influence projects which involve the creative re-use of sites. This year the category award winners demonstrated a comprehensive approach which planned for, and is delivering, innovative and inspiring places. Community liaison and engagement came through as key to building consensus and support, resulting in wider tangible community benefits. The successful award entries reflect the benefits generated by forward thinking planning practitioners and the importance of communicating complex processes or procedures in a way that delivers economic, social and environmental objectives. Such exemplar projects offer the opportunity for others to share SW best practice across the Country".
"In a fast paced and ever changing planning climate, the SW RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence provides an important opportunity to share and reflect upon what can be achieved, and what is indeed being achieved, by planning professionals and communities across the south west. WYG is proud to sponsor this initiative. The number, diversity and quality of submissions brought home the commitment of the profession to think outside of the box, maintain momentum and ultimately deliver excellence in the planning field. Congratulations are due to all those involved with the submissions this year, and for the inspiration they may provide for future applicants." 