Skip to content

News  |  Posted October 28, 2026

World Town Planning Day Photography Competition

To mark World Town Planning Day, held annually on 8 November, we are running a photography competition for our volunteers and network members

The competition is inspired by our very own Planning Adviser, Austin Cooke, who has run a similar competition with his family over the years.

We are asking for photographs of places that you feel represent good planning, whether that’s a town, city or rural area, in Scotland or abroad. It could be a particular area, a specific building or a vibrant community space.

The theme for this year’s World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is ‘Great communities are built on planning’, so we’d especially love to see places that are grounded in local knowledge and support the needs of the community.

Volunteers and network members who submit a photo will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £50 One4all gift voucher! Once all entries are in (the deadline is Monday 2 November), we will randomly select a winner. See below for more details on how to enter.

We are sharing some of our staff members’ photos below for inspiration, and we look forward to seeing yours!

How to enter

Anyone is welcome to join in, but unfortunately the prize draw is only open to Planning Aid Scotland volunteers and members of our network.

To enter, email your photo and a short caption (approximately 50 words) explaining why it represents good planning to volunteer@pas.org.uk by 5pm on Monday 2 November.

Please note: your photos will be shared on our website and social media, so make sure they don’t include any sensitive or personal information.

The arts centre and regeneration of the harbour, including the Shetland Museum, is a beautiful piece of new townscape and waterfront re-development. It manages to retain the industrial, maritime feel. The west facing outdoor seating has to be one of the nicest places in the UK to sit!

This school for children with additional support needs is so well designed! It is fully integrated within the surrounding area, looking out onto the nature reserve. The open mesh fencing allows park users to be aware of the school and provides a feeling of security within the park.

This was part of a regeneration project on a housing estate in Peterhead. People felt the area had been forgotten. Carved granite letters were installed within the estate spelling out “we are here”. It helped to slow traffic, reclaim the space and give a sense of identity and pride.
A public campaign lobbied for the site to be redeveloped as parkland rather than commercial. It is now a public recreational space with a man-made beach and swimming area. It is free and a great place for people to meet and shelter from the heat.

 

 

 

Back to News