South Downs National Park wins GOLD!
August 19, 2024
The National Park’s dedication and commitment to design excellence has been recognised with a glittering award from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
The RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence South East were held at The Crowne Plaza, Reading, with the Authority winning “Best Plan”.
The accolade recognises the outstanding contribution made to the National Park’s planning framework by the Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document.
The comprehensive guide covers all aspects of design, providing useful and practical information for applicants and agents to deliver well-designed developments within a landscape-led planning system.
The award was collected by Mike Hughes, Planning Director (Interim), Claire Tester, Planning Policy Manager and Mark Waller-Gutierrez, Specialist Lead who was instrumental in creating the guide.
Our submission will now be judged in the national awards, with the shortlist being announced in October ahead of an awards ceremony in November.
Mark said: “The adoption of the document was the culmination of collaborative working and consultation between SDNPA members, planning officers and design, landscape and built heritage planning specialists, as well as extensive public engagement.
“The document lays out, for the first time, a process for landscape-led design within the National Park setting and offers accessible guidance through Key Design Principles, Landscape-led Hints, case studies and contextual diagrams and illustrations to support the more detailed text.
“It’s wonderful to get this kind of recognition and fingers are now firmly crossed for the prospect of a national award.”