K2K Urban Design Comp wins inaugural Greater Sydney Planning Award

Randwick Council’s urban design competition to develop ideas for the future of the Kensington and Kingsford town centres on Anzac Parade has picked up a major award at the Greater Sydney Planning Awards on 23 February 2017.

The K2K Urban Design Competition won the Great Plan category presented by the Minister for Planning, Anthony Roberts and Chief Commissioner Lucy Turnbull AO.

The judges said Council took new approaches to consultation by directly involving local residents in developing the competition brief and generating a new conversation about the future of the precinct within a framework of robust planning and community involvement.

The best ideas from the competition ideas were used by Randwick City Council to develop new planning controls for Anzac Parade.

In particular, Council is planning to realise $300M worth of public improvements including eight new plazas, new shared laneways, new public spaces and affordable housing.

A Planning Strategy will be placed on public exhibition soon which will propose wider footpaths, underground powerlines, multipurpose community facility and innovation and exhibition spaces – many of these ideas are taken directly from the K2K competition.

Randwick Mayor Noel D’Souza said the award win was validation for Council’s strong leadership in taking back control of Anzac Parade from developers.

“I’d like to thank everybody involved in this important project including the community, Council staff and the competition finalists: JMD, Hill Thalis + Bennett and Trimble; Aspect Studios Urban Design; CODA Architecture and Urban Design; and Future Parade.

“Particular thanks goes to the independent jury Malcolm Snow, Ben Hewett, Jennifer Neales, Kerry Clare and Tim Greer along with our specialist advisers – Lucy Cole-Edelstein from Straight Talk, Andrew Mackenzie from CityLab and Sue Holliday from Strategies for Change.”