Orkney Islands Council Takes Top Honours at National Planning Awards

Orkney Islands Council scooped the top award at Scotland's national planning awards in Edinburgh last night.

They were named the overall winner across all categories for the Team Stromness project.

‘Team Stromness’ featured a Council-wide task force to coordinate several distinct regeneration projects within the historic core of the town, including:

• Repaving the main street in Stromness in local stone.
• Construction of the landmark Warehouse Building.
• Paving and redevelopment of the wider pierhead area.
• Grants for private householders and businesses to help traditional repairs and refurbishment through the Stromness THI.
• Redevelopment by the Council of the Commercial Hotel through the Stromness THI.

The feedback from the judging panel was that: "(Team Stromness) was an exemplary Urban Design Framework delivering on the ground. The Council’s passion to see Stromness modernise whilst maintaining its historical elegance was to be congratulated."

Stromness Councillor and Leader of Orkney Islands Council, James Stockan, said: “ This accolade is just reward for the huge coordinated effort that went into rejuvenating and regenerating our much loved town – in a way which built on the history and spirit of Stromness as a thriving economic and cultural hub.

“There are even more exciting times ahead for Stromness as we see further investment come to fruition including the multi-million pound Orkney Research and Innovation Campus project and a new care home for our oldest townsfolk. Stromness is now firmly on the map as a premier place to live, work, and do business and I am delighted to call it home.”

Gavin Barr is the Council’s Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Services. He said: "I'm incredibly proud of this achievement which is strong validation of the hard work and professionalism of the Council team, and the fruits of collaborative working with the community. There is heavy competition for this national award and it is fitting evidence of  Orkney's capability that we have come out on top."

As part of the judging process, Orkney Islands Council made a short film on the project. You can watch that via the Council's YouTube channel at the following link https://youtu.be/0EZoaAsl7ic.