Thirteen winners announced at the 2025 Planning Awards, included project submissions from Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Carlow, Wicklow, Kildare, Offaly, Tipperary and international work in Lesotho, while Uisce Éireann took home the overall President’s Award for its work on the Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The Irish Planning Institute (IPI), the all-island professional membership body for spatial planners, presented the winners of the 2025 Planning Awards on 25 September in Dublin. After receiving a record 80 entries from around the country, the judging panel selected the 13 category award winners, while an additional five entries were highly commended.

Projects from Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Carlow, Kildare, Offaly, Tipperary and international work in Lesotho were some of the award winners. Uisce Éireann took home the overall President’s Award for its Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant – a €139m project that was also the winner of the ‘Infrastructure Category’.

Congratulating the winners and the nominees, Gavin Lawlow, IPI President, said that the quality of entries to the 2025 Planning Awards was a powerful reminder of the innovation, knowledge and expertise of IPI members.

“Every year they strive to deliver high quality and sustainable development projects. The award entries reflect a deep commitment to creating liveable, inclusive places supported by essential services and infrastructure,” he noted.

The biennial Irish Planning Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the planning profession, including projects and plans at a local, county, regional and national level.

The awards aim to promote excellence in the field of planning, encourage sustainable development, foster positive engagement between communities and projects, support economic development through thoughtful planning. They also serve to recognise those projects and practices that enhance the environment, conserve architectural heritage or create cultural venues.

The Irish Planning Awards are designed to inspire innovation throughout the planning sector and reflect the level of planning achievement across the island of Ireland. With 80 entries from all around the country submitted for this year’s awards, the judging panel selected the 13 category winners from a shortlist of 55 nominees.

This year’s judging panel comprised Gavin Lawlor MIPI (IPI President), Brian McCarthy MIPI (IPI Vice President and Senior Planner, Clare County Council), David O’Connor MIPI (Head of Environment and Planning, TU Dublin), Laura Brock MIPI (Founding Partner, Brock McClure), Robert Keran MIPI (IPI Council Member and Foundation Management Consultants), Deirdre Scully FIPI (Former City Planner, Dublin City Council), Carol Tallon (CEO, Property District) and Claragh Mulhern MIPI (Principal Planning Adviser, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage).

The 2025 Planning Awards were sponsored by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, FuturEnergy Ireland, Uisce Éireann, Office of the Planning Regulator, Hacketts, Fehily Timoney and Company, and Wave Dynamics Acoustic Consultants.

The Climate Action Award was sponsored by FuturEnergy Ireland, the Biodiversity Award was sponsored by Uisce Éireann, while the Research and Innovation Award was sponsored by the Office of the Planning Regulator.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT