Coveted national planning awards honour those excelling in 'a difficult field'

The 2025 National Awards for Planning Excellence were held in Darwin on Thursday night (29 May), recognising the work done in a field is often balancing the demands of multiple conflicting interests.

The standout projects in planning and urban design were revealed during the Planning Institute of Australia’s (PIA) national awards held as part of the PIA Congress.

Planning projects from every State and Territory featured among the awards. When announcing the winners, PIA President Emma Riley RPIA (Fellow) said she was inspired by the range of innovative and meaningful change being delivered across cities, towns and remote communities.

“Each has contributed something valuable to the way we shape places for current and future generations.”

CEO Matt Collins said planning is not an easy field in which to work.

“It demands a careful balancing act of competing interests, emerging technologies, shifting trends, and the long-term needs of communities. Planners work at the intersection of people, policy, and place, helping to build more equitable, sustainable, and liveable futures and these awards shine a light on the best of the best; those achieving this at the highest level.”

Great planning makes great housing

A theme of ‘great planning makes great housing’ shone through the awards.

Whether it was better places, data, communities or climate resilience; each winning project showed how the planning profession makes a difference.

The community wellbeing and diversity award presented for the NSW Healthy Higher Density for Families Guide demonstrated that as we build upwards we must plan housing to meet the needs of families and children - especially play.

 The collaboration across health agencies, local government, designers and advocates demonstrated practical design and implementation steps relevant to all jurisdictions.  The judges said they were sure the Guide can be applied to high density development to help more families to make a choice to live in sustainable, compact cities that meet diverse needs.

Strategic planning is the first step creating a community. The Jindee Coastal Village Structure Plan (WA) was recognised for setting a new standard in urban design supported by a planning code that is creating a village of character in a sensitive coastal setting.

A winning plan can create a great place. The City of Kalgoolie-Boulder and the St Barbara’s Square and Laneway team were recognised for revitalising the heart of Kalgoolie in Western Australia’s Goldfields region.

Planning relies on tools and evidence to make the best decisions. The Technology and Digital Innovation award recognised the Land Supply Dashboard (SA Department for Housing and Urban Development) as vital to allowing agencies and developers to plan for the delivery of infrastructure in urban growth areas.

Living in a changing climate

Adapting communities and future housing to a changing climate also featured across the list of award winners.

The Douglas Shire Resilience Strategy (Qld) recognised the work of Council and Meridian Urban in co-designing with their community the tools needed to respond to escalating challenges posed by natural hazards.

Likewise, the Mid Richmond Place Plans (NSW) team were commended for a blueprint for urban adaptation blending strategic planning and urban design across five communities affected differently by flood.

The City of Hobart Climate Assembly was awarded for excellence in stakeholder engagement in the development of Council climate policy. Not to be outdone, City of Launceston with University of Tasmania, Geoneon and WSP were award winners for planning research informing council’s urban greening strategy to beat urban heat.

Planners show the way

Wattle Range Council (SA) with Future Urban received the improving planning processes award for their initiative Grow a Planner. The program responds to a planner shortage by growing their own and investing in emerging UniSA planners as a ‘training council’.

The young planners award recognised the talent and commitment needed to shape Australia’s future.

Young Planner of the Year, Aaron Peterson PIA (Assoc.) (NSW) had demonstrated exceptional leadership, technical expertise, and a deep commitment to advancing the planning profession through his work in transport infrastructure planning and funding.

Ryan McNeilly-Smith MPIA (Qld) was also commended for his contribution to urban climate policy addressing extreme heat.

Planning with Country

This award was given for the application of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and culture in planning and land management.

The winner, Caring for Country Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy (Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure NSW), was the culmination of five years of collaboration with Aboriginal communities in Western Sydney to elevate their role and economic participation in the planning and management of the Cumberland Plain.

PIA also commended the NT Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Framework team for co-designing tools and opportunities to share community stories, transforming strategic goals into concrete, meaningful results. It was deemed to have set a benchmark for integrating cultural tourism with strategic planning, while underscoring the importance of building stronger partnerships and collaborative efforts in planning with Country.

Ms Riley said the full list of winners were worthy of their awards.

“In 2025, we received 53 nominations across 11 categories and the standard of submissions was exceptional, and the judging process was no easy task.

“It’s inspiring seeing the range of innovative and meaningful change being delivered across the country from major metropolitan centres to regional towns and remote communities.”