A business service delivered by Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency since 2001 has won the NW Best Rural Planning Project award from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

It has also been shortlisted for a national category.

"The Rural Planning Facilitation Service (RPFS) was initiated by research undertaken by the NWDA back in 2000," explained Lynne Fox, Business Support and Planning Manager at CREA. "We managed the pilot of the scheme in Cumbria and Lancashire and the NWDA funded the pilot and then roll-out of the initiative across three countries. The Scheme has helped over 1,400 business since then and aims to offer advice before someone submits a planning application for a new development."

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NW Awards Coordinator Mike Eastham said the regional RTPI judges were "impressed" by the "pioneering nature of this unique rural planning service".

He added: "Its support for the development of rural planning expertise and awareness is excellent and it is a useful model for work elsewhere in the UK."

Since the pilot in 2001/02, RPFS has acted as a mediation service for rural development with over 1,000 businesses across rural Cumbria as well as more than 300 in Lancashire and over 150 in Cheshire. CREA works with partners, South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry and what is now known as Business Services Lancashire Ltd, to provide the mediation between rural businesses and local authorities across rural Northwest England.

"There are a lot of up front costs and risks for businesses planning new developments," concluded Bob Clark, Executive Director at CREA. "And good professional planning advice in the early stages can save time and money.

"The Service has already proved a big support to growing businesses as it has helped many of them to go through the planning process more smoothly."

(JM)