Wellingborough Council shortlisted for national award

Wellingborough Council's planning team has been shortlisted as one of two finalists for Local Authority Planning Team of the Year.

They have been nominated in the annual National Planning Awards, which celebrate success across the industry.

Wellingborough Council's submission focused on the planning team as ambassadors for high quality growth and the judges have recognised a number of key factors within the submission that set them apart from others.

The judging panel, made up from a number of industry experts, considered the following achievements from the team:

- All planning applications being determined within, and where possible, ahead of the target times for determination – 100 per cent secured throughout 2019 (and since October 2018)

- Quality, timely pre-planning application advice being offered and charged at market rates following feedback from the private sector on expectations. Business tripled during 2019

- Strategic partnerships with developers on the borough’s two Strategic Urban Extensions (SUEs) – Glenvale Park and Stanton Cross, and with the Ministry of Justice and Kier on

the Wellingborough Prison Project – Stanton Cross has delivered its first 100 homes, key infrastructure is being constructed for Glenvale park, and the prison is under construction

due for completion in September 2021.

- The creation of jobs, housing (and affordable homes), and environmental transformation

- An “investment-ready” approach which sees the team as a partner to strategic investors, and supportive of businesses and the local community

Council leader Cllr Martin Griffiths said: “This is a remarkable achievement for a dedicated team who are committed to providing and delivering high quality services the borough.

"They have gone from strength to strength in recent years, becoming one of the top twenty of the national performers for planning decisions.

"They have guided the progress on the prison, Stanton Cross and Glenvale Park, as well as the decisions helping local business and home owners.

"We look forward to celebrating the outcome of the awards later this year.”

The final outcome will be judged at a national awards ceremony in September this year.

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