Nominate the best building designs in the New Forest

Nominate the best building designs in the New Forest

The New Forest National Park Authority is inviting nominations for its Building Design Awards 2023.

While the New Forest is well known for its stunning landscapes shaped by centuries of commoning, the area’s distinctive buildings and their setting in the landscape are also a large part of the National Park’s special character.

Now the search is on for the best new developments and designs which have helped make a positive contribution to the local built environment.

As the local planning authority, the New Forest NPA’s role is to ensure new development is of a high quality and sympathetic to the nationally-important landscape. It deals with around 1,000 planning applications each year – nearly 90% of which are approved.

The annual awards recognise high-quality design within the National Park, with residential schemes, non-residential schemes, conservation projects and green buildings all eligible for an award.

This year’s winners included a restored Victorian ice house, a dairy converted to an office for a local company and a once-derelict estate cottage sympathetically refurbished and extended as a residential retreat for young people.

Nominations are invited for schemes completed over the last three years within the National Park boundary which enhance or protect the built environment of the National Park in the following categories:

• Best residential scheme (household extensions, new dwellings, conversions to residential)
• Non-residential scheme (for example employment or educational sites, public buildings, visitor attractions)
• Best conservation project (extensions to a Listed Building, restoration of a Listed Building, repair of a Building at Risk)
• Best green building (showcasing sustainable construction and materials).

Gordon Bailey, Chair of the New Forest National Park Authority’s Planning Committee, said: ‘Our role is to ensure that new developments make a positive contribution to the New Forest’s character, with proportions and materials sympathetic to their setting within the landscape and our villages.

‘This is supported by our National Park Design Guide which we revised in January 2022 which has a renewed focus on conserving local character, the climate emergency and sustainability. It also offers greater clarity and detail on sustainable construction, lighting and materials.

‘Alongside this, and the national planning policy support for development that enhances local areas, our annual awards recognise high-quality design in the National Park.’

Gordon Bailey added: ‘Our 2022 winners were outstanding, and we very much look forward to receiving the nominations for next year’s awards.’

The closing date for entries is 31 December 2022, and winners will be selected by a panel of members drawn from the National Park Authority’s Planning Committee.

Anyone can nominate for the awards, including individuals, communities, residents, parish councils, property owners, architects and professional agents.

To submit entries for the Building Design Awards, please visit  www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/buildingawards

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Photo of the Old Dairy by Tuakana Construction