Nominations now open for the 2027 New Forest National Park Building Design Awards

7 October 2026

The New Forest National Park Authority is celebrating the best in local building design and is inviting nominations for the 2027 Building Design Awards.

The awards celebrate developments that make a positive contribution to the New Forest, recognising projects that combine high-quality design with respect for the National Park’s distinctive landscape, character and heritage.

From innovative architecture and sympathetic renovations to sustainable materials and energy-saving solutions, the awards showcase the many ways good design can enhance the built environment while helping to protect what makes the New Forest special.

Projects completed within the last three years are eligible, with awards presented across four categories:

  • Best Residential Scheme – celebrating new homes, extensions and residential conversions.
  • Best Non-Residential Scheme – recognising projects such as community buildings, visitor attractions, workplaces and educational facilities.
  • Best Conservation Project – highlighting the restoration, repair or sensitive extension of historic buildings.
  • Best Green Building – showcasing sustainable construction and materials, retrofit projects and renewable energy solutions.

Previous Building Design Award winners have included a 200-year-old renovated cob cottage at Frogham, a restored Victorian ice house at Beaulieu, and energy-saving solar car ports at Paulton’s Park.

Steve Trow, chair of the Planning Committee at the New Forest National Park Authority, said: ‘Our planning system plays a vital role in protecting the New Forest for future generations, safeguarding its unique qualities while supporting its continued role as a living, working landscape.

‘High-quality design is at the heart of our approach. This is supported by our planning policies, the National Park Design Guide and individual Village Design Statements, which are developed and regularly updated in partnership with local communities.

‘We want to hear about projects that demonstrate what good design can achieve, whether that’s through conserving a historic building, creating a well-designed new home, providing an important community facility or finding innovative ways to make buildings more sustainable.’

The NPA welcomes nominations from residents, visitors, developers, planning professionals and parish councils, as well as those wanting to nominate their own buildings.

Entries are open until 31 December 2026. The winners will be chosen in the new year by a panel of members drawn from the National Park Authority’s Planning Committee.

Find out more and nominate at www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/buildingawards

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