Arup named 2007 RTPI Planning Consultancy of the Year

Arup’s Planning Policy and Economics (PPE) team was named 2007 Planning Consultancy of the Year at the annual Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards. The event, held in London on 7 February, recognises the diversity of the planning consultancy sector and its clients.

This year's Consultancy of the Year award celebrates the breadth of Arup's work in both shaping policy and delivering projects for the public and private sectors.

"Arup is proud to receive this prestigious award," comments Chris Stratford FRTPI, a senior member of PPE’s Management. "The award recognises the quality and integrity of Arup’s work, including producing the evidence base for climate change policies in the London Plan; our leading role in taking the prototype eco-town Northstowe (near Cambridge) through to outline application stage; Arup's involvement in the creation of strategy and planning frameworks; and our work advising government on improvements to the planning system."

“We also welcome the fact that the professional development of staff through projects and training, and the team's innovation in the new paradigms within planning has been recognised,” Chris continues.

The judging panel commented: "Arup's contribution to areas such as climate change, energy, skills and capacity is exemplary and gets the benefits of multidisciplinary working. Its input on eco-towns shows they must be based on good planning principles."

"We were impressed with the way the firm gives staff space to allow professional development and think about implementation in a structured way," the panel continued. "We also like [Arup's] ethos of giving something back to the profession. It clearly values its brand and its ethical approach to consultancy practice."

About Planning Policy and Economics

Arup's PPE team are based across the UK. The business' core focus includes planning policy development, statutory planning consents, regeneration and masterplanning, as well as development appraisals, financial and economic appraisals, impact and funding studies.