National nomination for city council’s natural environment planning strategy
The Winchester Nutrient Mitigation Strategy has been nominated as a finalist for an esteemed national award.
The strategy has been selected for the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) 2025 National Awards for Planning Excellence in the Planning for the Natural Environment category. This award celebrates outstanding projects that improve the natural environment through conservation, restoration or enhancement.
The joint award submission from the city council and the Partnership for South Hampshire is based on the work that Winchester City Council has undertaken to protect and improve the water quality of important rivers (Itchen) and chalk streams across the district, while still being able to provide new homes.
By upgrading city council owned wastewater treatment works (WWTW) and retrofitting council-owned properties with water efficiency measures, homes using these systems will not be adding harmful nutrients to rivers and streams.
Instead of relying on third party mitigation schemes, the city council has created its own – and is the first council-owned phosphorous mitigation in the Solent area.
The project was previously nominated for the regional award for Best Project earlier this year. The RTPI national awards ceremony will be held in London on Thursday 27 November.
Councillor Jackie Porter, Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Member for Place and the Local Plan, said: “Being shortlisted for this award is testament to the teams’ commitment and ingenuity in finding solutions to an important but complex issue which both protects our rivers and waterways, but still allows for the development of much needed homes. I am delighted the Royal Institute for Town planners has recognised this project and we look forward to hearing the outcome.”
Councillor Keith House, Chair of the Partnership for South Hampshire, added: "This is great recognition for work being done in our region to safeguard the environment while enabling much-needed development. As a partnership we work collectively to ensure councils are in the best possible position to deliver projects like this for the benefit of everyone."