Scotland 

Submissions must be located within Scotland.

Choose the categories you wish to enter from the list below. Direct to national categories can be found at the bottom of the page.

Site visits and/or interviews will take place between 15 April – 8 May

Awards in the regions/nations will be given to the Best Project, the Best Plan, Small Planning Consultancy of the Year, Planning Authority of the Year and Young Planner of the Year*. These winners become national finalists.

The shortlisted entries are put through for judging in the national awards and will be judged against the others in their selected categories for the national finalist list. The remaining five categories are also judged to complete the national finalist list of 15 categories. National winners and commendations are announced at the national ceremony in November 2024.

*All Young Planner of the Year winners will be entered into the national shortlist and will be judged by the national judges and the top five will become national finalists.

This category recognises any projects that promote and support a successful prosperous economy. Projects could include green infrastructure, minerals planning, industrial, commercial or infrastructure, regeneration schemes, including improvements to the public realm.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

How has your project/scheme:

  • Made a positive impact on health and well-being of the local community? This could include addressing issues of gender and inequality, solving problems/challenges with access to open space, or having a positive impact on people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities.
  • Integrated with neighbouring communities and facilitate sustainable access to services? 
  • Integrated with local identity?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%. 
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practitioner(s) to the development of the project by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery 

Community engagement:

Please outline how the project has:

  • Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the scheme.
  • Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

  • Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession.
  • Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

Excellence in Planning for Communities (large schemes of 50 homes or more) category recognises projects which include over 50 homes. Projects can integrate into the surrounding context or be a new development in their own right. The projects must meet local needs and be in locations that have access to infrastructure and facilities for communities. They should also offer a range of tenures and demonstrate the high-quality design of buildings and place.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Planning for Communities (large schemes of 50 homes or more) - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

How has your project/scheme:

  • Made a positive impact on health and well-being of the local community? This could include addressing issues of gender and inequality, solving problems/challenges with access to open space, or having a positive impact on people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities.
  • Integrated with neighbouring communities and facilitate sustainable access to services? 
  • Integrated with local identity?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%. 
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Community engagement:

Please outline:

  • How this engagement affected the plan development? 
  • The level of community engagement. Were there any groups that did participate? 
  • Whether you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so, which group and what was your process of engagement?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practitioner(s) to the development of the project by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

  • Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession.
  • Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

This category recognises submissions which demonstrate excellent practice in plan making, influencing decisions or shaping designs. This can include any development plan, supplementary planning guidance (SPG), masterplans, strategies etc. If submitting a local plan please outline through your submission how the local plan was unique and went above and beyond. Other examples of plan making practice, such as neighbourhood plans, place plans, supplementary planning documents and strategies are also welcome, so long as they can demonstrate clear outcomes. You may wish to focus on a particular aspect of the plan, or the methodology in developing it.

Eligibility

Plans adopted in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering plans prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may submit an entry into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or Plans that have previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Plan Making Practice - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your plan. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the plan and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the plan has.

Plan Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the plan which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

Please include at least one example which covers one or more of the questions below. How has the adopted plan:

  • Delivered a plan / strategy which has a positive impact on guiding development sustainably and addressing climate change?
  • Made improvements for specific groups e.g. people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities?
  • Made a positive impact on health and wellbeing e.g. solved problems/challenges with access to open space?
  • Addressed issues of gender inequality, language or neurodiverse factors?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the plan promotes energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%.
  • What evidence of successful action has taken place, in delivering developments to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement?
  • What targets did the scheme have for climate change and have those been met or exceeded?

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the plan meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practioner(s) to the development of the plan by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery 

Community engagement:

Please outline how the adopted plan has:

  • Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the plan.
  • Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

  • Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession.

This category recognises projects which include up to 50 homes. Projects can integrate into the surrounding context, or be a new development in their own right. The projects must meet local needs and be in locations that have access to infrastructure and facilities for communities. They should also offer a range of tenures and demonstrate the high-quality design of buildings and place.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Planning for Communities (small schemes under 50 homes) - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

How has your project/scheme:

  • Made a positive impact on health and well-being of the local community? This could include addressing issues of gender and inequality, solving problems/challenges with access to open space, or having a positive impact on people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities.
  • Integrated with neighbouring communities and facilitate sustainable access to services? 
  • Integrated with local identity?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%.
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.
  • What targets did the scheme have for climate change and have those been met or exceeded?

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practitioner(s) to the development of the project by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery

Community engagement:

Please outline:

  • How this engagement affected the plan development? 
  • the level of community engagement. Were there any groups that did participate?
  • Whether you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so, which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

This category recognises projects that make a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of a community or neighbourhood. It could be through the provision of sporting or activity resources or could address issues around health, disability, inclusion or our ageing population.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Planning for Health and Wellbeing - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

How has your project/scheme:

  • Made a positive impact on health and well-being of the local community? This could include addressing issues of gender and inequality, solving problems/challenges with access to open space, or having a positive impact on people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities.
  • Integrated with neighbouring communities and facilitate sustainable access to services? 
  • Integrated with local identity?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%. 
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practitioner(s) to the development of the project by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery 

Community engagement:

Please outline how the project has:

  • Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the scheme.
  • Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

  • Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession.
  • Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

This category recognises projects that have improved or enhanced places with a particular historical or cultural significance, for the benefit of the community and future generations. Submissions can include either existing buildings that have been restored or new developments.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

How has your project/scheme:

  • Made a positive impact on health and well-being of the local community? This could include addressing issues of gender and inequality, solving problems/challenges with access to open space, or having a positive impact on people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities.
  • Integrated with neighbouring communities and facilitate sustainable access to services? 
  • Integrated with local identity?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%. 
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practitioner(s) to the development of the project by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery 

Community engagement:

Please outline how the project has:

  • Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the scheme.
  • Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

  • Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession.
  • Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

This category recognises projects that improve the natural environment through conservation, enhancement or restoration. For example, green and blue infrastructure plans, natural resource management or improving biodiversity.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment - Scotland

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

How has your project/scheme:

  • Made a positive impact on health and well-being of the local community? This could include addressing issues of gender and inequality, solving problems/challenges with access to open space, or having a positive impact on people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities.
  • Integrated with neighbouring communities and facilitate sustainable access to services? 
  • Integrated with local identity?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%. 
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Show the centrality of a planning practitioner(s) to the development of the project by: 

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Working in partnership with others
  • Managing implementation and delivery 

Community engagement:

Please outline how the project has:

  • Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the scheme.
  • Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Please use this space to:

  • Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession.
  • Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

This award seeks out the brightest RTPI members in the early stages of their careers. Potential candidates can work in any area of the industry. We are looking for outstanding Young Planners who can demonstrate a contribution to planning or significant career achievements in recent years.

Eligibility

Entrants must be in the first 10 years of post-qualification experience and be a current member of the RTPI. A candidate can nominate themselves or they can also be nominated by an employer, colleague or peer.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.

Reminder

Please inform the person you are nominating once you have submitted the entry.
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Young Planner of the Year - Scotland

Award Criteria

Please submit an 800 word submission outlining the experiences and achievements, particularly over recent years, which you feel qualifies the entrant to be named our Young Planner of the Year.

Entries may make reference to careers as a whole as well as any particular projects or pieces of work you wish to share with the judges. Please ensure the submission fully outlines how it meets the judging criteria. The judges will be assessing the applications against the following criteria:

  1. Understanding of planning policy and the planning system they are working within
  2. The range, quality and variety of recent planning experience and achievements
  3. Their enthusiasm and originality of approach
  4. Their personal and team working skills
  5. Their commitment to continuing professional development and involvement with professional institutes, networks, events, outreach work or relevant voluntary activity. With particular reference to the RTPI
  6. The extent to which they serve as a role model for other young professionals

Judging Guidelines

Judges should consider each individual Young Planner application on its own merit and whether it meets the set criteria when awarding in this category, as opposed to judging applications by quantity or ranking candidates.

This could be the whole planning authority or be a part of it, for example, the policy/enforcement/development management team.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Planning Authority of the Year - Scotland

Award Criteria

For this award we are looking to learn about the service that your team has provided, the project(s) that have been undertaken, challenges faced, ability to work in challenging or complex stakeholder environments and ultimately how happy/satisfied applicants/partners were with the level of service. We would expect teams to have chartered planners.

What Your Team has achieved/ High Level of Service

In this section we want to learn more about the service that your team has provided, the project(s) that have been undertaken, challenges faced, ability to work in challenging or complex stakeholder environments and ultimately how happy/satisfied applicant/partners were with the level of service.

  1. Development and application of imaginative approaches and techniques to achieve high quality planning solutions.
  2. Client/applicant/partners satisfaction with the service provided.
  3. Ability of planners to manage multi-disciplinary projects or to work within a multi-disciplinary environment
  4. A demonstrable commitment to EDI sits at the heart of our definition of a high level service.
  5. Commitment to staff development, business improvements and active participation in professional and educational activities.
  6. Why should your team win this award?

This award recognises the achievements of small planning consultancies, independent consultants and sole practitioners.

Eligibility

Organisations entering this category must have between one and eight Chartered Town Planners (MRTPI or FRTPI). Entries should be submitted based on your geographical location unless the majority of your work takes place elsewhere.

Submissions must be located within Scotland.
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Small Planning Consultancy of the Year - Scotland

Award Criteria

For this award we are looking to learn about the service that your team has provided, the project(s) that have been undertaken, challenges faced, ability to work in challenging or complex stakeholder environments and ultimately how happy/satisfied client/applicants/partners were with the level of service.

What Your Team has achieved/ High Level of Service

In this section we want to learn more about the service that your team has provided, the project(s) that have been undertaken, challenges faced, ability to work in challenging or complex stakeholder environments and ultimately how happy/satisfied Client/applicant/partners were with the level of service.

  1. Development and application of imaginative approaches and techniques to achieve high quality planning solutions.
  2. Client/applicant/partners satisfaction with the service provided.
  3. Ability of planners to manage multi-disciplinary projects or to work within a multi-disciplinary environment
  4. A demonstrable commitment to EDI sits at the heart of our definition of a high level service.
  5. Commitment to staff development, business improvements and active participation in professional and educational activities.
  6. Why should your team win this award?

National categories 

Entries into these categories will be judged by a national judging panel. Finalists will be announced in early October. Winners of each category will be announced at the national awards ceremony in November 2024.

If the category you wish to enter does not appear on this list then please enter through the relevant region or nation.

*All Young Planner of the Year winners will be entered into the national shortlist and will be judged by the national judges and the top five will become national finalists.

This category recognises any projects that has used a new type of digital solution or used a digital solution in a new or innovative way. We are looking for innovation in the use of technology and where this has been crucial to the planning outcome.

Eligibility

Projects completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions. You may enter a project into more than one category, but we do ask that you provide an entry form for each category. Projects or work that has previously won an RTPI Award for Planning Excellence may not be re-entered in the same category, but those shortlisted or commended may be re-entered.
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Excellence in Digital Planning Practice

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project. Please highlight the specific issue and how the digital solution solved it. Highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the digital planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

Please include at least one example which covers one or more of the questions below. How has the new digital solution:

  • Made a positive impact on the planning service or provided a digital solution to a planning problem?
  • Made improvements for specific groups e.g. people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people, Black, South and East Asian and ethnic minority communities?
  • Made a positive impact on health and wellbeing e.g. solved problems/challenges with access to open space?
  • Addressed issues of gender inequality, language or neurodiverse factors?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, improving data to promote better climate action decisions.
  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%.
  • What targets did the scheme have for climate change and have those been met or exceeded?

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals ?

Planning contribution:

Explain how planners have provided strong and effective leadership and vision in the design and / or implementation of the project

Community engagement:

  • Please outline how the project has: Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with stakeholders, local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the scheme.
  • Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement? Were there outcomes of the digital solution you implemented?

Leading practice:

Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession. Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

This category invites submissions from outside the British Isles. The project or plan can fit into any of the other project categories, but if outside the British Isles it must be submitted in this category.

Eligibility

Projects or plans completed in the two years prior to 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry, even if the planning component was completed years prior. Particular care should be taken to avoid entering schemes prematurely before they can be satisfactorily assessed. We recommend projects are completed or sufficiently completed, in order to be assessed fully against all the judging criteria and other submissions.
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International Award for Planning Excellence

Award Criteria

You will need to critically evaluate the work carried out and must demonstrate the strengths of your project or plan. Please highlight the specific role planning has played in the project and highlight any difficulties and constraints planners had to overcome. It is crucial you demonstrate throughout the submission the planning value the project has.

Project Background

Context and brief timeline (including phases in delivering the plan, or the specific aspect of the project which is being entered e.g. the engagement process).

Outcomes for people and communities:

Please include at least one example which covers one or more of the questions below. How has project or plan:

  • Made a positive impact on the local economy and its contributions to promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.?
  • Made improvements for specific groups e.g. people with physical disabilities, neurodiverse factors, families, young people and ethnic minority communities?
  • Made a positive impact on health and wellbeing e.g. solved problems/challenges with access to open space?
  • Addressed issues of gender and inequality e.g. safety in public realm? 
  • Addressed issues of gender and inequality e.g. safety in public realm?
  • Addressed issues of inequality, language or neurodiverse factors?

Outcomes for climate action:

  • Please provide evidence of successful post-completion action e.g. how the scheme uses energy efficiency and other ways to deliver net zero emissions and limit global warming to 1.5%.
  • Please provide evidence of successful action taken in delivering the project to build resilience and mitigate against climate change e.g. carbon footprint of delivery, offsetting, waste disposal, material selection, biodiversity enhancement.
  • What targets did the scheme have for climate change and have those been met or exceeded?

Outcomes for sustainable development:

How does the project meet UN Sustainable Development Goals?

Planning contribution:

  • Providing strong and effective leadership and vision
  • Whilst working in partnership with others, how was knowledge exchanged and what was learnt? What (if any) engagement was there with the local planning profession?
  • Managing implementation and delivery

Community engagement:

Please outline how the project has: Provided positive and constructive engagement and dialogue with local people and businesses and how that dialogue directly influenced the scheme.

Please make sure to let us know how inclusive this engagement was. Were there any groups that did participate? Did you have particular success with a group that might ordinarily not have participated? If so which group and what was your process of engagement?

Leading practice:

Describe the complexity of the brief and the creative and innovative ways that you responded to it. We particularly want to hear more about, process, actions, approaches and new ways of working that could inform good practice across the profession. Please tell us if the scheme completed on time, we appreciate that on complex projects sometimes things happen beyond our control, which can impact timetable, so if your project did not complete on time please tell us why.

This award is open for nominations of a member of the Institute who plays a senior role in their organisation in being the responsible officer for the organisation’s planning service.

Eligibility

Can be based in the UK or overseas and working in the public, private or third sector. Entries must include two supporting statements from either work colleagues, project partners, external stakeholders, communities or politicians.

Reminder

Please inform the person you are nominating once you have submitted the entry.
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Inspirational Leader of the Year

Entrants must be able to demonstrate leadership in:

  • Climate action and addressing the biodiversity emergency
  • Influencing their organisation in the development, promotion and implementation of the corporate policies and initiatives
  • Championing quality placemaking across the organisation resulting in quality outcomes
  • Developing and maintaining effective and productive relationships with stakeholders, including communities and elected members
  • Embedding continuous improvement to ensure effective and efficient management of planning services
  • Demonstrable attitude for embedding EDI commitments into their work


Judging Guideline

A person holding a senior who has demonstrated leadership, high levels of service, commitment to sustainable development and support for the planning profession. In 2024, we are particularly focusing on someone who has delivered on climate action and addressing the biodiversity emergency.

The extent to which they serve as a role model for other young professionals.

This award recognises the achievements of planning teams working in-house within organisations whose primary function isn't planning or built environment consultancy. This may include third sector, charities, government departments, developers, commercial organisations, leisure providers and charities. The team must include at least one Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI or FRTPI).

Eligibility

The team must include at least one Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI or FRTPI). They should demonstrate high levels of service, commitment to sustainable development and support for the planning profession.

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In-house Planning Team of the Year

Award Criteria

This award recognises the achievements of planning teams working in-house within organisations whose primary function isn't planning or built environment consultancy, such as; third sector, charities, government departments, developers, commercial organisations, leisure providers and charities. The team must include at least one Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI or FRTPI).

What Your Team has achieved/ High Level of Service

In this section we want to learn more about the service that your team has provided, the project(s) that have been undertaken, challenges faced, ability to work in challenging or complex stakeholder environments and ultimately how happy/satisfied Client/applicant/partners were with the level of service.

  1. Development and application of imaginative approaches and techniques to achieve high quality planning solutions.
  2. Client/applicant/partners satisfaction with the service provided.
  3. Ability of planners to manage multi-disciplinary projects or to work within a multi-disciplinary environment
  4. A demonstrable commitment to EDI sits at the heart of our definition of a high level service.
  5. Commitment to staff development, business improvements and active participation in professional and educational activities.
  6. Why should your team win this award?

This award recognises the achievements of planning consultancies with over eight Chartered Town Planners (MRTPI or FRTPI). They should demonstrate high levels of service, commitment to sustainable development and support for the planning profession.
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Planning Consultancy of the Year

Award Criteria

For this award we are looking to learn about the service that your team has provided, the project(s) that have been undertaken, challenges faced, ability to work in challenging or complex stakeholder environments and ultimately how happy/satisfied client/applicants/partners were with the level of service.

What Your Team has achieved/ High Level of Service

  1. Development and application of imaginative approaches and techniques to achieve high quality planning solutions.
  2. Client/applicant/partners satisfaction with the service provided.
  3. Ability of planners to manage multi-disciplinary projects or to work within a multi-disciplinary environment
  4. A demonstrable commitment to EDI sits at the heart of our definition of a high level service.
  5. Commitment to staff development, business improvements and active participation in professional and educational activities.
  6. Why should your team win this award?