The 8th National Planning Awards 2014
The Irish Planning Institute is pleased to invite entries for the 8th Irish Planning Awards. The winning entry will have the opportunity to represent Ireland in the European Urban & Regional Planning Achievement Awards to be held in Autumn 2014. Further information on previous winners, nomination forms and entry requirements are available on the Irish Planning Institute website http://www.ipi.ie.
Below is a brief outline of the awards and categories. Click here to download the full awards brochure containing details on how to how to apply, click here to download an application form and click here to download a student application form.
Purpose of the Awards
The National Planning Awards seek to illustrate the diversity and wide scope of planning activity today, and give recognition to successful and innovative planning strategies, schemes or developments, which make an outstanding contribution to the quality of life in urban and rural parts of Ireland.
The Irish Planning Institute presents a number of awards aimed at highlighting the best examples of planning practice during the previous years and to raise the standard of townscape design and planning awareness both within the public and private sectors.
The Aims of the Awards are to:
- Demonstrate to the general public and to the planning profession in particular, successful and innovative planning projects and developments through which the quality of life of the general public is enhanced and improved, socially, economically and environmentally.
- Promote create and enhance conditions favourable to the promotion of sustainable development.
- Illustrate the diversity and wide scope of planning activity today: in regeneration of urban and other areas, economics and leisure, transport and traffic management, as well as promoting economic and social cohesion and enhancing cultural identity.
- Demonstrate clearly the advantages of the participatory planning process, facilitated and enabled by professional planners, showing how the cooperation between and the direct participation of stakeholders, local authorities, development agencies and interested public can have a synergistic effect of benefit to the whole planning process.
- The scope of the subjects to be considered for the awards embraces published plans and studies, projects involving community participation, and significant physical development, either at a trans-national, national, trans-regional, regional or at a local scale. The themes or topics are freely chosen, they do not have to be considered of “national relevance” to be submitted
Nomination Categories
There are thirteen different Nomination categories. Any plan, project, program, tool, process, or report entered must have been published, implemented, or completed within four years of the nomination deadline and can be entered into one or more category.
A. NATIONAL PLANNING AWARD
For a comprehensive or general plan that advances the science and art of planning, there are two separate divisions and nominations can be lodged under two separate headings. Local authorities are particularly encouraged to enter this category.
• Regional and City Areas – major schemes and regeneration in larger urban areas
• Rural Areas and the Natural Environment - all aspects of planning in rural areas from development guidance to village regeneration and the protection and enhancement of the natural environment
B. URBAN DESIGN AND PLACE MAKING AWARD
An award will be made for a plan or project that, as a direct result of the effort and specific planning input, demonstrates improved quality of life for the community and demonstrates significant benefits outside of the site itself. Emphasis is on how creative housing, economic development, public realm and private investments have been used to improve quality of life, provide employment and / or services in an area, using best conservation, urban design and planning practices.
C. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE PLANNING AWARD
This award recognises a plan or project, which promotes environmentally sustainable development through the conservation and protection of natural heritage; and the promotion of the principles of sustainability and environmental awareness in local communities. Plans or projects falling under this category could include green infrastructure plans; spatial planning strategies including integrated sustainable energy aspects; sustainable transport initiatives; conservation initiatives and programs for the promotion of biodiversity; education initiatives; and any and all projects or plans (at any scale) that seek to reduce the impact of development on the natural environment.
D. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AWARD
The Transportation Planning Award will be made to a plan or project demonstrating outstanding achievement in the planning or implementation of transport initiatives promoting modal shift towards more sustainable travel patterns at local, regional or national level. Plans or projects falling under this category could include those that: reduce dependence on travel by private car; promote public transport or walking and cycling as a means of travel; reduce traffic congestion; promote and improve traffic safety; promote active leisure activities (e.g., trails or walks); or improve accessibility and legibility within a town or local area.
E. INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD
This award recognises a plan or project for the development of local, regional or national level infrastructure demonstrating exceptional application of the principles of spatial planning in responding to current and future need for sustainable energy, transport, communications or social infrastructure.
F. ECONOMIC PLANNING AWARD
The Economic Planning Award recognises plans or projects, which apply national spatial planning policy in the developmentof initiatives for stimulating sustainable economic development and job creation at local, regional and national level. Economic planning projects and plans could include local economic development strategies; enterprise support initiatives; retail and town management strategies; town centre developments and developments resulting in major economic benefit to a community or region; and urban renewal projects.
G. HERITAGE PLANNING AWARD
Having regard to the major role that Ireland’s historic environment plays in the national economy, the Heritage Planning Award recognises excellence in the conservation, preservation and re-use of buildings, features and landscapes of heritage importance as part of a plan or project.
H. HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DESIGN AWARD
The Housing and Community Design Award acknowledges outstanding housing plans and projects that, through the provision of a high standard of accommodation and amenity, form the core of stable and sustainable communities.
I. INTERNATIONAL PLANNING AWARD
With many Irish planners and Irish planning practices engaged in significant work abroad, this award recognises the role of a planner or planning practice based in Ireland in bringing excellence in planning practice to an international project.
J. INNOVATIVE PLANNING PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES AWARD
For a specific planning tool, practice, program, project, or process that is a significant advancement to specific elements of planning. This category emphasizes results and demonstrates how innovative and state-of-the-art planning methods and practices helped to implement a plan or advanced planning considerations. Examples of plans or projects that could be nominated under this category include regulations and codes, growth management or design guidelines, land acquisition efforts, public/private partnerships, partnering of different public sector entities to drive a plan/project forward; applications of technology, handbooks, or efforts that foster greater participation in community planning.
K. DIGITAL MEDIA IN PLANNING AWARD
This Award recognises outstanding achievement in the development of a digital media initiative that contributes to raising the standards of planning and advancing planning for the benefit of the community and the common good; facilitates the articulation of professional planning opinion; serves, improves or promotes the planning profession; and / or contributes to planning education.
L. PARTICIPATORY PLANNING AWARD
The Community Participatory Planning Award gives recognition to community and voluntary groups who have participated in / co-ordinated / or prepared their own planning strategy, scheme or development and which has made an outstanding contribution to the quality of life in the physical and social environment, in urban and / or rural Ireland. The scope of the projects considered for the award includes published plans/studies and projects which have been project managed / prepared by the community. The project must demonstrate how public participation has been effective in changing outcomes. This category is not subject to an entry fee.
M. STUDENT PLANNING AWARD
The Student Planning Award recognises an outstanding project or paper by a student of planning. Students may submit their own work for consideration under this category. Each planning school may also nominate up to two papers or projects for award consideration. This category is not subject to an entry fee.
Applications
All nominations must be emailed to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and must also be delivered in hard copy to arrive at the offices of the Irish Planning Institute, Floor 3, The Courtyard, 25 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1 no later than 3.00pm on July 19th 2013. The front of each envelope and package must be clearly marked ‘National Planning Awards 2013 – 2014’.
