July 7/17 JULY ISSUE -7 | Page 30

Sovereign development, Victory Oak, is nominated for two prestigious planning industry awards Victory Oak, a Sovereign development, is a finalist in the category for Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment at the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2017. Victory Oak has also been shortlisted for the RTPI south west awards for the Excellence in Spa- tial Planning category. The RTPI Awards are the most established and respected awards in the UK planning industry. Running for 40 years, they celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society. Built on an old military hospital site, the Victory Oak development will provide 210 new homes in St Leonards, near Ringwood, Dorset. The site required a large amount of collaboration throughout planning and de- velopment to care for the local environment. Sovereign have worked closely with many other organisations, including Johns Associ- ates, Kendall Kingscott, Tetlow King Planning and White Design as well as Natural England and the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Annette Cattle, Project Manager said: “We are delighted that Victory Oak has been shortlisted for these awards. RTPI has recog- nised the high standards of work by the pro- ject team for the protection and enhance- ment of the environment as well as building new homes.” Stephen Wilkinson, President of the Royal Town Planning Institute said: “The finalists represent some outstanding contributions to planning which are making a positive impact for the community and environment. The judges will find it difficult choosing the winners given the high calibre of entries this year.” This year saw a nearly 40% increase in en- trants and the judges have shortlisted 90 finalists across 14 categories with an overall winner awarded the Silver Jubilee Cup. The winners will be announced during a cere- mony held at Milton Court at The Barbican, London on 15 June 2017.