Swanage Pier restoration project, Foundations for the Future, has been named as a finalist in the category for Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2019.
The RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence are the most established and respected awards in the UK planning industry. Running for over 40 years, they celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society.
Foundations for the Future is a Heritage Lottery Funded project to restore and renovate both the Pier and historic Marine Villas. For the structure of the Pier this included the replacement of 42 of the timber piles and large sections of decking. Marine Villas underwent a complete redevelopment to house a new cafe, exhibition space and gift shop, as well as updating the office spaces upstairs.
"I would like to thank all those involved in the restoration work for their time and dedication. This is the start of a new chapter for Swanage Pier and we are all excited to share our new facilities as an outstanding tourist attraction." Dave Laut, Chair of the Friends of Swanage Pier.
RTPI President Ian Tant MRTPI said: “Many congratulations to all this year’s finalists, who demonstrate outstanding contributions to planning, producing a positive effect on our communities, the economy and the environment. They have shown how planners can use their passion and skills to meet needs, deliver high quality design and tackle environmental challenges – they should all be proud of their role as a force for good in society.”
The winners will be announced during a ceremony held at Milton Court Concert Hall in central London on 24 April 2019.
Andrew Jones MRTPI, Practice Leader Design Planning + Economics at AECOM, said: “AECOM is proud to once again be a headline sponsor of this year’s RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. The finalists are a diverse mixture of outstanding examples of planning, which demonstrate the breadth of the impact the profession has on quality place making and delivery in the built environment.”
David Jackson MRTPI, Head of Planning at Savills, said: “Savills is delighted to be a headline sponsor of the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. The finalists reflect the positive impact planning has on our communities and wider society across the UK, Ireland and internationally through exemplary projects, plans and people.”
The RTPI champions the power of planning in creating prosperous places and vibrant communities. It is the only body in the UK that confers Chartered status to planners, the highest professional qualification sought after by employers. It supports its members – over 25,000 worldwide - throughout their careers.