🏆 Planning for The Flow Country Wins Prestigious Scottish Award

We’re proud to share that planning for The Flow Country World Heritage Site has won the ‘Best Plan’ award at the 2025 RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence – Scottish round.

The award was presented to Highland Council representatives Nicole Wallace (Service Lead – Environment and Active Travel) and David Cowie (Principal Planner) at a ceremony held on Monday evening, 16 June at the Grassmarket Community Project in Edinburgh. The Council’s submission beat strong contenders including the National Planning Framework 4, the Hawick Place Plan, and the Hagshaw Energy Cluster.

In July 2024, UNESCO inscribed The Flow Country as the world’s first peatland World Heritage Site, and Scotland’s first solely natural World Heritage Site – a major milestone for nature, climate action, and the Highlands. This global recognition places the site alongside icons like the Great Barrier Reef and the Serengeti, emphasising its importance and the need to protect and restore it.

The RTPI praised The Highland Council’s planning position statement and heritage impact assessment toolkit, which are now guiding decisions that safeguard the site’s Outstanding Universal Value while allowing appropriate development in line with community priorities.

Nicole Wallace said:

“We are delighted to receive this recognition of planning for The Flow Country World Heritage Site. It is welcome acknowledgement of the planning position statement and heritage impact assessment toolkit published by the Council to guide development and protection. But it is also recognition of the efforts of the whole Flow Country Partnership that led the bid for UNESCO inscription of the site and the importance of addressing the challenges that lie ahead and maximising the opportunities to be gained from it.”

Planning has a vital role to play in responding to the climate and ecological emergencies. This recognition highlights how collaborative efforts – between local authorities, communities and conservation partners – can achieve outcomes with real global impact.

As a national winner, the project will now go forward to the UK-wide RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence, judged later this year.

Pictured: David Cowie and Nicole Wallace with the Award.