International Award for Planning Excellence
Overview
This award celebrates outstanding projects, either as a standalone development or integrated into the wider surrounding context. We're looking for exceptional work in areas such as:
- Placemaking SDG11
- Meeting local housing needs: SDG11
- Sustainably located development served by local amenities, community facilities and infrastructure SDG11
- Climate adaptation and mitigation SDG13, SDG11
- Innovative approaches to design or construction
Important: All entries must provide evidence of success, not just intentions. We accept both quantitative metrics and qualitative evidence, including but not limited to:
- Statistical data
- Qualitative assessments
- Survey results
- Visual documentation
- Testimonials
Eligibility
Projects must be completed between 1 January 2022 – 31 December 2024. You may submit the same project for multiple categories, but each submission needs a separate entry form focused on category-specific criteria. Winning projects cannot be resubmitted. Projects that were previously shortlisted or commended may be resubmitted.
Projects must have been completed in accordance with the approved plans and in compliance with any planning conditions and must not be subject to ongoing formal enforcement action. If this issue arises following submission, you are required to notify us by emailing [email protected]
Judging Criteria
The following questions include prompts to help you answer – these are to provide a guide and you only need to address the prompts that are relevant to your project.
Where possible, please link your answers to the UN sustainable development goals which are referenced below.
Assessment Areas
1. Project Excellence
Explain how your project demonstrates excellence in planning for communities, including:
- Creative and innovative approaches
- Measurable outcomes
- Community benefit SDG11
- Placemaking and design
- Integration of green and blue infrastructure SDG13 & SDG11
- Biodiversity enhancement – SDG 15
- Provision of infrastructure SDG9
- Sustainability measures
- How your project goes beyond standard practice
2. The role of planners
Highlight the specific contribution of planners to your project's success and long-term benefits relevant to this category.
What lessons / best practice could be taken from your project and applied elsewhere?
How did planners demonstrate leadership and/or work collaboratively with other professionals?
3. Community and Stakeholder Engagement – SDG11 & International Participatory Charter
Describe your community and stakeholder engagement approach, highlighting:
- Innovation and reach.
- Evidence of the scope and success of the engagement.
- Approaches/methods used to ensure the engagement is accessible and inclusive.
- How community feedback and responses have shaped the project.
Please include any relevant statistics and reference how the project responded to that feedback.
4. Inclusive Planning
Detail how the project addresses barriers and promotes inclusivity e.g. through:
- Creating safe and accessible spaces for all users – SDG11
- Promoting community health, wellbeing and cohesion – SDG 3
- Reducing poverty and stimulating growth SDG1 & SDG8
- Improving access to jobs, economic opportunities and/or homes SDG8 & SDG11
- Safeguarding and enhancing the built and/or natural environment. SDG 15
5. Climate Action
Demonstrate how your project is addressing the climate and nature emergencies and overcoming related challenges e.g. through:
- Contribution to net-zero SDG11, SDG13, SDG7
- Biodiversity enhancement SDG 15
- Locating development sustainably SDG11
- Energy-efficient building design / retrofitting SDG11, SDG12
- Adapting to or mitigating climate change SDG13 SDG11
- Renewable energy / clean heat SDG7
- Sustainable use of materials SDG12
- Innovative approaches to project delivery