The architects of Whyndyke Garden Village have won an award in the Royal Town Planning Institute North West Planning Awards.

Whyndyke Garden Village is a residential development of 1,400 houses on the outskirts of Blackpool (90% in the Fylde district) which is designed to encourage healthy living and innovation.

Lancaster University is a key strategic partner in the development, which is one of ten NHS England ‘Healthy New Towns’. The Healthy New Towns programme involves the NHS working with 10 housing developments across England to shape the health of communities and rethink how health and care services can be delivered.

Professor John Goodacre, Director of the University’s Health Engagement and Innovation Team, said: “Lancaster University is delighted to be a partner in this very exciting and innovative programme. My colleagues and I across the University look forward to helping it achieve its potential as an exemplar development.”

The architects Cassidy + Ashton from Preston won the award in the category ‘Delivering Housing’.

Director Alban Cassidy said: “On behalf of the Board of the Whyndyke Garden Village Healthy New Town I am delighted to receive this award. In reality it is testament to several years of inter disciplinary and inter organisational working which have not only been enlightening but very rewarding also. It is fantastic that the efforts of so many different people, many without a background in planning or development, are now being recognised and I hope that we can go on to deliver the exemplar development that we are all aiming for.”

This will include the development of homes for Life Long Living, an innovative Digital Home being created by Lancaster University and a Health Hub.

The University is leading the Digital Health Infrastructure planning and development theme.

Professor Sumi Helal, Chair in Digital Health, said: “The design of the Digital Health infrastructure at Whyndyke Garden Village aims to support the promotion of active and healthy living and ageing.”

This will cover homes and apartments, whole neighbourhoods like sidewalks and walking trails, biking lanes, and the town centre including the community hub and its wellness facility, shops, restaurants, and the clinic of the future facility.

Whyndyke Garden Village will be connected to Lancaster University’s new Health Innovation Campus (HIC) – a major investment and initiative by Lancaster University to use technology and data to improve health and care, improve outcomes and enhance people’s quality of life.

The judges for Royal Town Planning Institute North West Planning Awards said: “We were impressed with the collaboration between the three local authorities of Fylde, Blackpool and Lancashire County Council together with Lancaster University and the NHS in creating innovative solutions to the challenging agenda they set to demonstrate how health and care services are at the heart of this new community.”