London’s cultural offering recognised at Building London Planning Awards 2023 as shortlist announced
The shortlist for this year’s Building London Planning Awards has been announced, with 26 projects in the running for eight prestigious awards.
Among those shortlisted for Best Heritage or Culture Project are: Broadway Theatre, Soho Theatre Walthamstow and the ABBA Arena, the temporary venue hosting the groundbreaking concert show featuring ​‘ABBAtars’. Soho Place, including a six-storey 602-seat theatre, is separately nominated for Best Mixed-Use Scheme, sponsored by CarneySweeney, while the development also creates the first new street name in Soho in 72 years. It features alongside Lucent, 72 Broadwick Street and High Street Quarter.
Despite exceptionally difficult trading conditions during the pandemic and a tough economic backdrop, the capital’s cultural offering has bounced back strongly, with Londoners and visitors enjoying all the sector has to offer. Since the easing of lockdown restrictions, theatregoers have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent YouGov survey.
Elsewhere, the transition to net zero and reducing carbon emissions feature across many of the shortlisted entries. Criteria required submitting organisations to consider the environmental impact of construction and occupation. The City of London Corporation and Hilson Moran’s Carbon Options Guidance Planning Advice Note, shortlisted for the Best Project for Sustainable Planning, encourages developers to fully consider retrofit options, which will help to minimise carbon emissions from the built environment. Other shortlisted projects in the sustainability category include the public realm transformation at Strand Aldwych, and SEGRO Park Tottenham.
Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive at 91¶¶Òù, said: ​“From world-class venues to sustainable placemaking, this year’s shortlist demonstrates high-quality entries that are making a positive difference to Londoners and communities across the capital. We are pleased to see London’s built environment paving the way to building a more vibrant and sustainable city that is a top destination to live, work and play, as well as the best place in the world in which to do business.â€
Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe CBE, said:​​“This year’s shortlist showcases London’s ability to design and develop world-class entertainment venues that help make the capital a top destination for tourists from across the world. As London continues to recover, these developments illustrate the key role of the built environment in helping us meet the Mayor’s ambition to build a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.â€
The Building London Planning Awards, delivered by 91¶¶Òù in partnership with the Mayor of London, is now in its 19th year. The awards celebrate outstanding town planning and creative development across London’s built environment sector. The nominations span 11 London boroughs and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in July.
Entries were evaluated by a judging panel from 91¶¶Òù and our partner organisations — Mike Kiely, Planning Officers Society London, Claire Day, the RTPI, Ransford Stewart, BAME Planners Network, and Grace Harrison, the Greater London Authority — who all have unique industry perspectives and brought a vast range of experience to their assessment of each of the schemes. A full list of shortlisted projects and schemes are below.
The 2023 shortlist
Best New Place to Live
- 1 Creekside
- Citizens House
- The Jazz Yard, St James, Waltham Forest
- Airspace Development at Antony & Roderick House
- Riverscape
Best New Place to Work
- The Rowe
- The Forge
- n2, Nova Victoria
- Henrietta House Reimagined
Best Mixed-Use Scheme
- Soho Place
- Lucent
- High Street Quarter
- 72 Broadwick Street
Best Heritage or Culture Project
- ABBA Arena
- Wimbledon College of Arts
- Broadway Theatre
- Strand Aldwych
- Soho Theatre Walthamstow
Best Project for Sustainable Planning
- Carbon Options Guidance Planning Advice Note
- Strand Aldwych
- SEGRO Park Tottenham
Best Community Engagement Outcomes
- Citizens House
- Empowering residents to shape their areas: a community first approach to developing 15 Minute Neighbourhood Frameworks
- Your Vision Our Future — a community-led vision for the Kingston Town Centre Area
Best Borough-led Project
- Greenvale School, Lewisham
- Putting the Public on Top: A View for All — Elevated Public Realm in the City of London
- Good Growth in Fore Street
- Norlington School and Sixth Form – 1 Form of Entry Expansion Project
The Mayor’s Award for Good Growth
The winner for this category is chosen from the above category winners. The Mayor will select the project or scheme that most successfully contributes to his ambitions for Good Growth.