Ryden picked up the inaugural Planning Consultancy accolade at a ceremony in Cardiff yesterday with the Planning for Infrastructure Research Project, produced for the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland in 2015.

The study reviewed existing and emerging practice in the delivery of infrastructure to enable development through the planning system in Scotland. Ryden’s findings are currently being used to inform the basis of the next wave of planning reform in the country.

The judging panel of academics and planners chose the project from a strong field from across the UK.

Accepting the award, Ryden’s Dr Mark Robertston thanked Ryden colleagues and WSP and Brodies who worked on the project, and highlighted the importance of using research to inform policy making.

Bill Duguid, managing partner of Ryden, said: “We are thrilled that our work has been recognised by this highly competitive national award. It recognises the very high quality of Ryden’s planning and research advice and shows that our advisers are among the very best in the UK.”

Two research projects by the University of Glasgow were also recognised at the awards.

Ade Kearns and early career researchers Julie Clark and Claire Cleland were commended in the Early Career Researcher category for their exploration of the impact the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games had on the post-industrial neighbourhood of Dalmarnock.

Kearns and Clark were also commended for the Sir Peter Hall Award for Wider Engagement alongside Louise Lawson, Cat Tabbner and Kelda McLean for their GoWell research and learning programme which examined the health and wellbeing impacts of housing–led regeneration across fifteen deprived communities in Glasgow.