Commonwealth Games ‘Athletes’ Village’ homes make RTPI awards shortlist

Nine housing projects across the UK, from the Athlete Village in Glasgow to eco-homes near Bristol, will be competing for the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) prestigious planning awards this year.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 6 July 2015.

A total of 80 entries have been shortlisted to compete in 14 categories that celebrate excellence in projects, consultancies and local authority teams. They have been recognised for their high standards in planning and demonstrate how significant schemes can be delivered speedily through the planning and other consents systems.

Chairing the panel of 24 expert judges is the Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP, Member for Greenwich and Woolwich and former Minister for Housing and Planning.

Janet Askew, President of the RTPI said: “The shortlist reflects the very best planning projects, strategies and processes that are helping to make great places for people to live and work. The 80 finalists highlight exceptional examples of planning that have made an impact and brought considerable benefits. It will be a tremendous challenge picking individual category winners from such a high quality field.”

The shortlisted housing projects are:

London

One Woolwich, part of the London Borough of Greenwich’s estate regeneration programme, as an original solution that regenerates three declining estates, reconnecting them to their immediate neighbourhoods. The tagline ‘One vision, supporting one community, delivering One Woolwich’captures the ethos of creating an integrated, mixed and balanced community. The schemes deliver 1,500 new homes.

South West

Green Park House Redevelopment relates to the redevelopment of a sensitive edge of centre site for a 461 bed student accommodation block with associated café in Bath. This major application was delivered in less than 13 weeks with a legal agreement in place and all pre-commencement conditions resolved.

Hanham Hall is one of a number of flagship Carbon Challenge schemes promoted by the HCA. Due for completion in 2015, Hanham Hall will be England’s first large-scale housing scheme to achieve the 2016 zero-carbon standard. The development will create 187 new homes, ranging from one-bedroom starter flats to five-bedroom family houses. Two thirds of the units will be sold privately, while the rest will be offered for affordable rent.

North East

The Rise at Scotswood, in Newcastle’s west end, is the product of a public/private joint venture The aim is to reverse the fortunes of an area decimated by the decline of heavy industry and create a diverse, sustainable community of around 6,000 people living in approximately 1,800 well designed, modern, energy efficient homes – supplied by a district heating centre.

East of England

Comprising a mixed-use redevelopment of the former Anglia Ruskin University Central Campus with the restoration of a Grade II listed building and other historical buildings for 219 dwellings, 4,500 square metres of commercial floorspace and a 4,021 square metres food store. The previously derelict site is centrally located adjacent Chelmsford’s rail and bus stations.

Trumpington Meadows, Cambridge is the transformation of the brownfield former Monsanto Plant Breeding Institute into a new community of contemporary homes, set in 48 acres of a waterside country park in Cambridge. 60 per cent of the homes are for private sale with 40 per cent being affordable. Over 270 homes were occupied during the latter part of 2014.

The £30m refurbishment of Hillington Square is the biggest regeneration project currently taking place in King’s Lynn. The project includes refurbishment of 320 properties, remodelling of the estate layout and public realm improvements.

Scotland

Fold Housing Associations Glenabbey/Skeoge development is an exemplar new build social housing scheme consisting of 280 new homes (208 houses and 72 apartments), a play park and lookout park, to the northwest of Derry~Londonderry’s city centre.

The project has involved the regeneration and development of a large area of 32.5 hectares of brownfield site in Dalmarnock. In the short term, the Village has provided accommodation and facilities for over 6500 athletes and officials. At completion of the Games, it has transformed into a fully integrated residential community which will continue to expand serving as catalyst for further regeneration.

The RTPI represents 23,000 planning professionals worldwide and promotes spatial planning, shapes policy and raises professional standards. The Awards for Planning Excellence have been run by the RTPI for over 30 years to recognise planning excellence.

This year’s headline sponsor is AECOM with other sponsors and supporters including Bilfinger GVA, The Planner, Planning Aid England and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

For the full shortlisted projects in all the 14 categories, please visit www.rtpi.org.uk

For tickets for this event please email awards@rtpi.org.uk