High praise for trio of planning projects in South Downs National Park
January 9, 2025
The National Park’s commitment to design excellence has again been recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
Our Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document was shortlisted in the National Awards following its triumph at the RTPI South East awards in the summer.
Competition for the award was fierce with 10 other plans in the shortlist. The Climate Emergency Development Plan Document, submitted by Cornwall Council, was eventually crowned the winner of the Excellence in Plan Making Practice category at the glittering event held in London.
The shortlisting of the Design Guide in such a competitive category recognises the contribution made by the document to provide comprehensive guidance on delivering well-designed developments in a landscape-led planning system.
There has been further planning praise for the National Park, with Lewes named a runner-up in the 2024 Academy of Urbanism (AoU) awards for the best town or small city in the country.
The awards recognise some of the best, most enduring or most improved urban environments.
The description in the shortlist said: “Lewes’ Saxon roots and location in the South Downs National Park create an attractive town that embraces both its cultural and physical heritage.
“This in turn has made it a desirable place to live and visit, and its public transport and walkability contributes to a lower number of car commuters compared to similarly sized towns.”
Meanwhile, there was awards success for Stanmer Park’s Management Plan, which won the Landscapes and Parks Management category for the Landscape Institute’s annual awards. The landscape-led plan pioneered by Land Use Consultants (LUC), promotes the continued reinvigoration of the park, including integrating historic design considerations with current needs such as climate change and habitat creation.
