The judges praised the team for their innovative work, highlighting their inspirational multidisciplinary and cross-sector approach. The team's commitment to EDI as well as their excellent client feedback and satisfaction were highlighted by the judges.
NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is proud to announce that its dedicated Town Planning Team has been awarded the title of In-house Planning Team of the Year at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence. This accolade recognizes the team's exceptional contribution to the NHS estate, providing specialist, comprehensive, and robust planning advice that enables the delivery of excellent patient care.
As the only dedicated Town Planning Team within the NHS, NHSPS plays a crucial role in helping customers make informed decisions about their estates on behalf of local communities. By maximizing the potential of the NHS estate, the team ensures it can support outstanding patient care both now and in the future.
The judges praised the team for their innovative work, highlighting their inspirational multidisciplinary and cross-sector approach. They noted the team's clear commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Learning and Development (L&D), as well as their excellent client feedback and satisfaction. The creation of the 'Centre of Excellence,' the unwavering dedication to the NHS estate, and the seamless integration between health and town planning systems to deliver better patient outcomes were key factors in securing this win.
The Town Planning Team excels in both the practical and strategic aspects of each project, exploring commercial potential and guiding schemes from concept to completion. Their activities include:
- Providing specialist town planning advice, planning appraisals, and planning applications.
- Monitoring and responding to emerging planning policy documents.
- Monitoring and responding to strategic site promotion opportunities for the NHS portfolio.
- Securing developer contributions (Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106) for NHS projects
- Driving forward the principle of healthier design standards and homes for NHS colleagues
- Leading and advising on town planning matters for the wider NHS
The team's efforts ensure effective NHS engagement with the town planning system to proactively integrate and support NHS requirements. This enables flexibility and best value in the management of the NHS estate and supports the delivery of excellent patient care.
Aahsan Rahman, Head of Town Planning at NHSPS, said: “We are honoured to win the award for ‘best in-house planning team’ at the prestigious RTPI awards for planning excellence 2024. This recognition will help support our role in positively influencing NHS-town planning interactions across England”.
