Our Lakenfields scheme in Norwich has been shortlisted for the RTPI East of England Awards for Planning Excellence!

The RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate some of the eastern region’s most impressive projects.

Lakenfields, at Webster Court, is a finalist in the Excellence in Planning for Communities (small schemes of 50 or less) categoy.

Working with Norwich City Council and Bidwells, we successfully obtained planning permission in January 2021. The project itself was completed in late 2021, and tenants moved into the modular apartments in December 2021.

The scheme provided rapid development of affordable housing to address homelessness in Norwich through dynamic partnership working with the local authority. This required the planning team to gain consent quickly and without any pre-commencement conditions to hit the timescales.

Andrew Savage, Development Director, Broadland Housing Association

Dynamic collaboration

A the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government released funding to help address homelessness. It was an opportunity for local authorities and housing associations to work together to deliver the affordable housing needed.

Lakenfields at Webster Court is a direct outcome of this funding stream. It demonstrates how collaborative working can deliver high-quality affordable housing quickly to meet urgent needs.

This project showcases how planning, and the wider property industry, causes real tangible change in local communities and benefits the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals.

Norwich is consistently named one of the best places to live in the UK. However, there was an acute need for accommodation to support vulnerable residents, particularly following the pandemic. [This scheme] is providing Norwich with better facilities and care for its residents by providing vital support to those in need.

Jake Lambert, Principal Planner, Bidwells

Positive impact on quality of life

The awards highlight “exceptional examples of how planning and planners have a positive impact on our quality of life in creating exceptional places and protecting our environment”.  

The Regional Judging Panel have now reviewed and judged all entries. The winners will be announced at the RTPI East of England Awards Gala on 30 June 2022 at Hylands House in Chelmsford, Essex.

The top-scoring entries in all 15 categories will go through to the national finals later this year. The national winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 30 November 2022.