Countryside Properties : VINCENT LACOVARA AND PAUL AUGARDE WIN AT ALAN CHERRY PLACEMAKING AWARDS

08/11/2017

Countryside, one of the UK's leading home builders specialising in placemaking and urban regeneration, has announced the winners of its 2017 Alan Cherry Placemaking Awards. Organised in honour of the company's late founder, Alan Cherry CBE DL, the event took place on Wednesday 1 November at The Shard's Shangri-La Hotel.

The awards, which recognise the role of the public sector in creating high-quality places, were presented by Graham Cherry, Chief Executive at Countryside Partnerships South, as part of the sixth annual Alan Cherry Debate.

Vincent Lacovara, Team Leader for Placemaking at Croydon Council won the 'Placemaking: Outstanding Contribution' award, which is presented to a public figure who has been working in the sector for 10 years or more and has made a significant contribution to placemaking in their community. Paul Augarde, Poplar HARCA's Director of Placemaking, won the 'Placemaking: One to Watch' category, awarded to outstanding individuals with up to 10 years' experience in the public sector.

This year, the Alan Cherry Debate considered how to measure the impact of urban regeneration. Moderated by Sky News Business Presenter, Ian King, the panel included: David Lunts, Executive Director for Housing and Land at the GLA; Councillor Guy Nicholson, London Borough of Hackney; Esther Kurland, Director at Urban Design London; Jackie Sadek, Chief Executive at UK Regeneration; Andy Rowland, Regional Managing Director at L&Q; and Ian Sutcliffe, Countryside's Group Chief Executive.

During the debate, the point was made that the most important part of regeneration is that it happens. The panel also agreed that in order to secure greater public support for regeneration, people and the community must be put at the heart of projects.

Ian Sutcliffe, Countryside's Group Chief Executive said: 'This year's debate highlighted the importance of the public and private sectors working together to deliver successful regeneration projects that stand the test of time. We need to listen to the communities in which we are working, develop all-important mixed-tenure housing, which has a hugely beneficial social impact, and ensure that new developments can adapt over the years to meet society's changing demands.'

Graham Cherry said: 'My late father's vision was to create places that people enjoy and these awards celebrate good development design, placemaking and sustainable communities. We're proud to be the only home builder that rewards public sector placemakers in this way.

'The aim of this event was twofold: to discuss best practices for regeneration, and to recognise the people who have made incredible contributions to placemaking in their communities.'

Vincent Lacovara, Team Leader for Placemaking at Croydon Council, commented:'I am honoured and delighted to have won the Alan Cherry 'Placemaking: Outstanding Contribution' award. Some truly inspiring people were nominated alongside me for their public-sector work and so it is very humbling to have received such recognition - I would like to thank the rest of my team at Croydon for making this possible and hope that I can be inspiration to more talented planners, designers and place professionals to join the public sector.'

Paul Augarde, Poplar HARCA's Director of Placemaking, commented: 'I'm thrilled to have won the Alan Cherry 'One to Watch' Award. These awards are an annual statement of the sector's need to bring private, public and third sector practitioners together to forge the best placemaking possible - inspired by Alan Cherry's legacy. For my Accents Team, the Countryside Placemaking Award allows us to present the genuinely inclusive, broad-based regeneration that we're achieving in East London on a bigger stage and so, export the learning elsewhere in London and further afield.'