The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) has announced the winners of its 2023 Planning Awards at the Institute’s first awards gala dinner since the Covid-19 pandemic. There were 24 entries recognised at the awards, including Limerick City and Council winning this year’s President’s Award.

This year’s President’s Award, which highlights examples of excellent public participation and best practice, was won by Limerick City and Council for their ‘Young Person Participation in Land Use Planning’ project which formulated, trailed and implemented a school consultation programme to engage young people in the preparation of the development plan and local area plan processes. It was presented by Kieran O’Donnell TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning.

The IPI awards acknowledge a diverse range of projects and plans nationally taking place at a local, county and regional level in complex and dynamic environments. This year’s Awards recognised innovation and excellence in Irish planning in eight categories.

Speaking at the awards, IPI President Mary Mac Mahon said: “The Irish Planning Institute’s Irish Planning Awards serve as a testament to the invaluable role of planning in our society. They celebrate our diverse, dynamic, and sustainable projects, showcasing the positive impact of planning on our communities. As President, it’s been my privilege to elevate the profile of planning and to honour the achievements, diversity, and potential within our sector. With entries spanning the island, our winners from Dublin to Donegal exemplify excellence. I extend my gratitude to all entrants, congratulate the winners, and acknowledge our sponsors for making these awards possible.”

The eight category winners were:

• Plan Making – Kildare County Council – The Athy Local Area Plan 2021-2027 and the Development of a New Generation of Local Area Plans for Kildare
• Employment & Enterprise – County Kildare Leader Partnership CLG – Barrow Blueway Economic Plan
• Urban Regeneration and Heritage – Donegal County Council – Ballyshannon Historic Towns Initiative Project
• Climate Action Biodiversity – EirGrid – The Celtic Interconnector – Good Practice linking Planning, the Planner & Climate Change
• Sustainable Communities and Placemaking – Meath County Council – Kilcloon Community Development
• Research and Innovation – EMRA on behalf of the Three Regional Assemblies of Ireland – Regional Development Monitor (RDM) – Joint winner – South Dublin County Council – ‘Instantaneous Data’ – A South Dublin Approach to Active Land Management
• Workplace of the Year – South Dublin County Council – #Making it Work @ SDCC_Planning
• President’s Award – Limerick City and County Council – Young Person Participation in Land Use Planning

This year’s judging panel comprised Mary Mac Mahon MIPI (Irish Planning Institute President), Charlotte Sheridan MIPI (RIAI President), Henk van der Kamp FIPI (Secretary General of the ECTP-CEU, the umbrella organisation for spatial planning institutes in Europe and past president of the IPI), Terry Prendergast MIPI (former board member of An Bord Pleanála) and John O’Hara MIPI (former Dublin City Council Planning Officer).

The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage are the main sponsor of the awards with additional sponsors Wave Dynamics Acoustic Consultants and Uisce Éireann. The individual categories of Climate Action and Biodiversity and Research and Innovation are sponsored by FuturEnergy Ireland and the Office of the Planning Regulator respectively.

(Ends)

Awards Winners

The full list of winners in each category is below. Details of each shortlisted entry are available in the awards booklet.

Category: Plan Making

• Winner – Kildare County Council – The Athy Local Area Plan 2021-2027 and the Development of a New Generation of Local Area Plans for Kildare
• Highly Commended – South Dublin County Council – South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028
• Commended – Uisce Éireann – Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) National Water Resources Plan – Framework Plan

Category: Employment & Enterprise

• Winner – County Kildare Leader Partnership CLG – Barrow Blueway Economic Plan

Category: Urban Regeneration and Heritage

• Winner – Donegal County Council – Ballyshannon Historic Towns Initiative Project
• Highly Commended – Tipperary County Council – Activating Cahir’s Town Centre Regeneration Strategy
• Commended – South Dublin County Council – The Street – Kick starting the Tallaght Innovation Quarter

Category: Climate Action and Biodiversity

• Winner – EirGrid – The Celtic Interconnector – Good Practice linking Planning, the Planner & Climate Change
• Highly Commended – Uisce Éireann – Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) Biodiversity Action Plan
• Commended – South Dublin County Council – South Dublin’s Green Space Factor

Category: Sustainable Communities and Placemaking

• Winner – Meath County Council – Kilcloon Community Development Project
• Highly Commended – MKO Ltd – Creggs Village Plan
• Commended – Land Development Agency – Colbert Quarter Spatial Framework

Category: Research and Innovation

• Joint Winner – EMRA on behalf of the Three Regional Assemblies of Ireland – Regional Development Monitor (RDM)
• Joint Winner – South Dublin County Council – ‘Instantaneous Data’ – A South Dublin Approach to Active Land Management
• Highly Commended – University of Galway – Promoting spatial planning through school/university project exchange

Category: Workplace of the Year

• Winner – South Dublin County Council – #Making it Work @ SDCC_Planning
• Highly Commended – Brock McClure – Brock McClure Planning & Development Consultants
• Commended – Louth County Council – Louth County Council Planning Workplace

Category: Presidents Award

• Overall Winner – Limerick City and County Council – Young Person Participation in Land Use Planning
• President’s Commendation – Downey – Portarlington Urban Regeneration Strategy 2030
• President’s Commendation – Quintain – The Crossings, Adamstown
• President’s Commendation – Statkraft Ireland – Moanvane Wind Farm
• President’s Commendation – Virtus – Virtus