About
The Irish Planning Institute seeks, through the Irish Planning Awards 2023, to highlight innovation and excellence in Irish planning. These Awards are to acknowledge the diverse range of plans taking place locally and nationally in complex and dynamic planning environments. This year’s awards will be presented at a ceremony in Dublin on Thursday 28 September 2023.

This year there are seven categories open for entries and a President’s Award, awarded by the Council, will also be presented.

Award Categories
The categories are as follows:

1. Plan Making
Entries to this category should:

• Demonstrate excellent practice in plan making which went above and beyond statutory requirements and/or is unique
• Consideration of climate action, active travel, sustainability and the circular economy etc.
• Deliverability and implementation should be considered
• Plans may include public or privately funded projects including development plans, local area plans, regeneration plan, public realm plans and masterplans.
• Public participation and engagement will form part of the assessment criteria.
• Projects must have been undertaken since March 2020

2. Employment and Enterprise
Entries to this category should:

• Promote and support a successful prosperous economy
• Projects could include but not limited to:
  • Economic plans by local authorities, community groups, private and commercial entities in which the role of planning and the planner is demonstrated
  • Work hubs developed by local authorities or private and commercial entities
  • Office or retail developments by any entity in which the role of planning and the planner is demonstrated
• Deliverability and implementation should be considered particularly for plans
• Consideration of climate action, active travel, sustainability and the circular economy etc.
• Projects must have been undertaken since March 2020

3. Urban Regeneration and Heritage
Entries to this category should:

• Recognise town renewal schemes and infill developments bringing brownfield lands and/or heritage buildings back into use
• Deliverability and implementation should be considered, particularly for plans, as should integration with the existing neighbourhood/streetscape and permeability and mix of use
• Consideration of climate action, active travel, sustainability and the circular economy etc.
• Projects must have been undertaken since March 2020

4. Climate Action and Biodiversity
Climate Change is the greatest challenge facing us and there is greater awareness now of the necessity to link planning and climate change if it is to be effectively addressed. The potential type of projects/plans for this category can include mitigation measures, education, flooding energy, transport, adaptive reuse, green infrastructure, climate adaptation and resilience or biodiversity. Projects must have been undertaken since March 2020.

5. Sustainable Communities and Placemaking (large scale and small scale)

This category considers entries which are:

• Residential and community based which contribute to the establishment of strong communities and placemaking
• The projects should help address local needs and be in locations that have access to infrastructure and facilities for communities
• In the case of residential developments, they should also offer a range of tenures and demonstrate the high-quality design of buildings and place, consideration of climate action, active travel, sustainability and the circular economy. Residential development should demonstrate sustainable residential densities appropriate to their location
• The role of the planner should be evident
• Possible projects may include residential developments by LAs, AHBs, semi state, private entities or public private partnerships between any of the above, or a community project by any entity
• Deliverability and implementation should be considered
• A large scale and small scale award may be presented if appropriate
• Projects must have been undertaken since March 2020

6. Research and Innovation
Recognising research projects undertaken by any individual or organisation relevant to planning. Research should contribute to the planning profession and is not confined to academic researchers. Projects must have been undertaken since March 2020.

7. Planning Workplace of the Year
This category is to celebrate planning authorities, consultancies and in house planning teams which support and contribute to the professional development of their teams and the wider profession. This should include showing how they support and develop young planners in their career development and also address diversity and inclusion.

8. President’s Award 
This will be awarded by the Council from all entries across all categories, independent of the judging panel.

How to Enter
The closing date for entries is 12 May 2023.

To begin visit the awards webpage and click ‘Submit an entry’. If this is your first time logging in: Click “New User? Click here to Register”. If you have registered/used this platform previously: Enter your login details and click “Login”.

When entering you will be required to provide:

• Details of your organisation and a contact person
• A summary of the project (500 words limit)
• How the project meets the category criteria (500 words limit)
• The role of the planner in the project (500 words limit)
• You will also be required to upload one item of supporting information, e.g. an explanatory booklet with images (recommended), video, other imagery, brochure etc. (50 MB limit) and up to two items of further information can also be uploaded (20 MB limit each) and you can provide a link to the project if relevant.

Judging
A panel of expert judges will shortlist entries this Summer with the short list announced ahead of the ceremony in September.