Irish Planning Institute announces shortlist for 2025 Planning Awards Posted on July 24, 2025July 24, 2025 by Seán O'Leary The shortlist for the 2025 Planning Awards features 55 nominees across 12 categories Projects from across the island of Ireland have been recognised for excellence in innovation as well as economic, social and environmental sustainability The Irish Planning Institute (IPI), the all-island professional membership body for spatial planners, is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Irish Planning Awards. The biennial Irish Planning Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the planning profession, including projects and plans at a local, county, regional and national level. The awards aim to promote excellence in the field of planning, encourage sustainable development, foster positive engagement between communities and projects, support economic development through thoughtful planning and honour projects and practices that enhance the environment, conserve historical buildings or create cultural venues. Most importantly, the Irish Planning Awards are designed to inspire innovation throughout the planning sector and reflect the level of planning achievement across the island of Ireland. The 2025 Irish Planning Awards attracted a record 80 entries from all around the country. A panel of expert judges have selected a shortlist for the Awards, which features 55 nominees across 12 categories including; Plan Making Commercial Projects Urban Regeneration Heritage and Culture Climate Action Biodiversity Housing or Community Infrastructure Research and Innovation Diversity and Inclusion Planning Consultancy and In-House Planning Teams Planning Authorities An overall President’s Award will be awarded to the standout winner across all 12 categories. The IPI received submissions from across the island of Ireland including Antrim, Carlow, Clare, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Monaghan, Meath, Tipperary, Westmeath, and Wicklow, along with work also undertaken by the three regional assemblies and an international project in Lesotho. Gavin Lawlor, President of the Irish Planning Institute, said: “The IPI is delighted to be hosting the biennial awards that celebrate creativity and quality throughout the Irish planning sector. The awards provide an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and reward the innovative work by our members who strive every year to deliver high quality projects and sustainable developments.” “With a record 80 entries, submissions for the 2025 Planning Awards were particularly strong, with excellent examples of sustainable, innovative and thoughtful planning right across the various categories. I want to congratulate each of the nominees for being shortlisted and I look forward to joining you all at our awards ceremony in Clontarf Castle Hotel in September.” This year’s awards are sponsored by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, FuturEnergy Ireland, Uisce Éireann, Office of the Planning Regulator, Hacketts, Fehily Timoney and Company, Wave Dynamics Acoustic Consultants. This year’s climate action award is sponsored by FuturEnergy Ireland, while the research and innovation award is sponsored by the Office of the Planning Regulator. The 2025 awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner and ceremony in Clontarf Castle Hotel on Thursday 25, September 2025. For more information and to book click here. The full list of nominees is below Irish Planning Awards 2025 Shortlist Category 1: Plan Making Projects must showcase exceptional plan making that exceeds statutory requirements. Key considerations include climate action, sustainable travel, and active travel. Public participation, deliverability, and implementation are crucial.Community Places – Tullycarnet Place Shaping Plan 2025-2035Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and RPS, A Tetra Tech Company - South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP)Dublin City Council - Jamestown Masterplan 2023Kildare County Council and Meath County Council - Two Counties, One Town: Coordinating the Low Carbon Future of MaynoothMonaghan County Council - Drum and Rockcorry Community Vision PlansMountrath Town Team, Laois County Council and project consultants Urbanarq, Connect the Dots, RealSim and David Mulcahy Planning Consultant - The Mountrath Digital Twin Sustainable Communities Plan Category 2: Commercial Project Projects must support a prosperous economy while integrating climate action, sustainable travel, and neighborhood integration. The role of planning and the planner should be evident, with clear deliverability and implementation.MKO – Dexcom AthenrySouth Dublin County Council - Work IQ Innovation CentreTom Phillips + Associates - Kildare Innovation Campus Masterplan Category 3: Urban Regeneration Projects must focus on town renewal and infill developments, revitalising brownfield lands. Key considerations include climate action, sustainable travel, and streetscape integration. Deliverability and implementation are essential.3(a)State ledLand Development Agency - St. Teresa's Garden/ Donore ProjectSouth Dublin County Council - Connecting Communities Through the Regeneration of West Tallaght Parks Tipperary County Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Kickham Barracks Regeneration, Clonmel, Co. TipperaryWestmeath County Council - Athlone Town Centre Enhancement Project3(b)Private ledTom Phillips + Associates - Kennedy Quay Mixed Use Development, Cork South DocklandsMcGrath Group Properties & DOWNEY - Palmers Gate, Palmerstown, Dublin 20 Category 4: Heritage & Culture Projects must focus on the conservation of historical buildings or spaces, or the development of cultural spaces. Emphasis should be placed on climate action and the sustainable re-use of materials. The planner’s role should be clearly highlighted, with a strong focus on deliverability and implementation.Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in conjunction with the Regional Assemblies - Town Centre First Heritage Revival (THRIVE) SchemeKildare County Council - The revival of Naas Town Centre – Reimagining the Potato MarketSheridan Woods Architects & Urban Planners Ltd and Meath County Council - Duleek Heritage Led Regeneration PlanTipperary County Council - Templemore Library & Enterprise Centre, Templemore, Co. TipperaryTom Phillips + Associates - Church of Oak Distillery Category 5: Climate Action – sponsored by FuturEnergy Ireland Projects must address climate mitigation or adaptation, including for example education, flooding, energy, transport, and green infrastructure. Reducing climate impact is central. Deliverability and implementation should be clear.Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council - Residential Car Parking Amendment No. 9 – CherrywoodEntrust Limited - Blackhall Solar Farm & SubstationKildare County Council - Tackling Climate Change in County Kildare: Bringing Communities from Grey to GreenLand Development Agency - The Land Development Agency Sustainable Development Strategy 2024-2028McCutcheon Halley Chartered Planning Consultants - Score for planet earth: Páirc an Chrócaigh Abú!Southern Regional Assembly, Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly - Smart and Sustainable Mobility AcceleratorThe CUBE Low Carbon Centre of Excellence - The CUBE Low Carbon Centre of Excellence: Driving Local and Regional Climate Solutions Category 6: Biodiversity Projects must prioritise biodiversity protection, aligning with for example the EU Nature Restoration Directive and national biodiversity plans/strategies. Deliverability and implementation are crucial.EirGrid - Bat-tery Storage: New Bat House Lights Up Electrical Project!FuturEnergy Ireland - Carrownagowan Wind FarmSLR Consulting, Studio Aula and Haller Clarke - Derryounce Lakes & Trails 10 Year Plan 2024-2034 Category 7: Housing or Community Project Projects must strengthen communities and placemaking, addressing local needs and ensuring infrastructure access. Residential developments should offer diverse tenures, mixed use, and high-quality design, with climate action and sustainable travel considerations. Deliverability and implementation are key.John Spain Associates - Glencairn Residential DevelopmentLand Development Agency - Bluebell WaterwaysCommunity Places – Tullycarnet Place Shaping Plan 2025-2035McGrath Group Properties & DOWNEY - Palmers Gate, Palmerstown, Dublin 20Tom Phillips + Associates - The Goulding’s Site, CorkTom Phillips + Associates - Waterfront South Central Category 8: Infrastructure Projects must deliver essential infrastructure, considering climate action and biodiversity. Focus areas include energy, water, and transport. Deliverability and implementation should be clear.EirGrid - Dublin's Electric Dreams: EirGrid Powers Up Transmission Transformation!Entrust Limited - Blackhall Solar Farm & SubstationMcCutcheon Halley Chartered Planning Consultants - Greenore Port Offshore Wind Energy Operations and Maintenance FacilitiesUisce Éireann - Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant Category 9: Research & Innovation - sponsored by the Office of the Planning Regulator Projects must contribute to the planning profession’s development through innovative research by individuals or organisations.Carlow County Council - Carlow Pre-Planning Enquiry Service: A Research-Led Digital Innovation Supporting Early Career Planners and Improving Service DeliveryEastern and Midland Regional Assembly, Southern Regional Assembly, Northern and Western Regional Assembly, All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO), Tailte Éireann GeoHive Platform - National Census AtlasLand Development Agency - The Land Development Agency Sustainable Development Strategy 2024-2028Louth County Council - Improving Public Participation in the Strategic Environmental Assessment Process as part of the preparation of the Dundalk Local Area PlanSouthern Regional Assembly, Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly - Smart and Sustainable Mobility AcceleratorSouth Dublin County Council - SDCC Housing Supply Monitor Category 10: Diversity & Inclusion Projects must support minority group inclusion, with evidence of steps taken. The planner’s role should be clear, with a focus on deliverability and implementation.Action Ireland Trust in conjunction with Fingal County Council (FCC), Portmarnock Community School (PCS) and the Lesotho Town and Regional Planning Institute (LTRPI) - Planning for Diversity and Inclusion in Ireland and Lesotho Category 11: Planning Consultancy & In-House Planning Team Projects must celebrate consultancies and in-house teams that support professional development, diversity, and inclusion, focusing on early career planners’ growth.Brock McClure – We are Brock McClureJohn Spain Associates – John Spain AssociatesLand Development Agency - The Land Development Agency - Planning TeamMcCutcheon Halley Chartered Planning Consultants - McCutcheon Halley Graduate & Intern Training ProgrammesTom Phillips + Associates - Tom Phillips + Associates Category 12: Planning Authority Projects must celebrate planning authorities that support professional development, diversity, and inclusion, focusing on early career planners’ growth.Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council - DLR - where planners are madeKildare County Council - Kildare County Council Planning Authority: Challenging, Progressive, DynamicSouth Dublin County Council - Planning with Purpose: People at South Dublin County Council Category 13: President's Award The President's Award will be selected from across category winners.