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Sustainable Communities Awards

Posted: 31/10/2006

The Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) has launched the Government’s national awards for sustainable communities. ‘Creating the Future – the ASC Awards for Sustainable Communities’ is the premier national awards scheme for the sustainable communities sector. It succeeds the Deputy Prime Minister’s Award for Sustainable Communities, which since 2003 has recognised projects and initiatives that contribute to making better places in which to live and work.

This year sees the greatest ever support from Government and national agencies. The ASC Awards will celebrate achievement in the public, private and third sectors, covering projects, individuals and organisations in cities, towns and villages in England.

The ASC Awards are being administered by The British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA). Organisations that have demonstrated excellence in creating and maintaining local places can enter for one of six categories in 2006:

 Leadership in creating sustainable communities
 Well-designed and built
 Cultural contribution
 Skills, training, learning and workforce development
 Partnership working across public, private and third sectors
 Engaging young people

There is also an overall Award for Excellence, sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Baroness Andrews, Housing and Planning Minister, said: “Having the right people with the right skills and knowledge is vital if we are to achieve our goal of creating vibrant, prosperous and cohesive places where people will want to live and work, now and in the future. I am delighted that these awards are recognising the valuable contributions that individuals and groups are making to the creation and maintenance of such places across England.”

The awards scheme forms part of the ASC’s drive to improve the skills and knowledge needed to deliver and maintain sustainable communities across the country. The awards will help to identify good practice examples from which others can be encouraged to learn.

PREVIOUS WINNERS WERE...

Last year's winner, the Regeneration of Attwood Green in Birmingham, transformed former run-down estates into attractive places to live and work. In 2004, the Grange Park Community Project in Blackpool led the way by regenerating a deprived neighbourhood into a revitalised mixed community in which people now feel a sense of ownership and pride. In 2003, people living in the Penwerris Estate in Falmouth, Cornwall, were recognised after starting up a tenants' association to fix local housing, improve public health and clean up the environment.

The deadline for entries is 9 January 2007 and winners will be announced at a dinner event in London on 7 June 2007. For details of the entry criteria, visit the ASC website: www.ascskills.org.uk/pages/awards.

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