Awards season for Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service
The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service is celebrating after success at both the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) awards and Planning Awards 2021.
Having a successful awards season recognises the dedication and outstanding contribution to the planning sector of our service and the partners we have worked with on major projects.
RTPI Awards 2021
The Great Kneighton housing scheme has won yet another award at this year’s RTPI Awards for planning excellence, picking up the Excellence in Planning to Deliver Homes, large schemes (50 or more dwellings) Award. Running for over 40 years, the RTPI awards for Planning Excellence are some of the most prestigious awards in the UK planning industry. Due to current restrictions, the winners were announced during a virtual ceremony held on 29 April 2021.
Great Kneighton is a modern sustainable housing development spread over 269 acres of land situated between the village of Trumpington and the city of Cambridge, accessible by fantastic transport links – Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and Long Road. Now in its final stages, the development boasts over 2,500 new homes and a deep routed connection to the countryside.
The scheme includes many facilities that are key to building and supporting a new community such as a 120 acre country park, new primary and secondary schools, a library, health centre, retail and hospitality locations, and a central community building.
The judges’ comments:
“Great Kneighton is an inspiring, innovative planned urban extension which hosts considerable community benefits as well as well-planned housing and supporting uses. This project is an excellent example of the role of the contribution of planning with planning being involved from inception to delivery. The judges also noted the impressive level of affordable housing included within the project.”
Planning Awards 2021
The submissions entered were all required to have taken place since July 2019 and the shortlisted categories entered by the planning service include:
Award for promoting economic growth
Wellcome Genome Campus Expansion, Hinxton, South Cambridgeshire, submitted by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service
Award for planning for increased housing delivery
Housing delivery in Greater Cambridge, submitted by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service
Award for stakeholder engagement in planning (plan-making or pre-application)
First Conversation Issues and Options consultation, submitted by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service
Award for stakeholder engagement in planning (plan-making or pre-application)
Draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan Consultation, submitted by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service
Due to social distancing, the awards ceremony will take place virtually on 9 and 10 June 2021, when the winners will be announced.
Further information on the shortlisted categories can be found on the Planning Awards website.