The Excellence in Regeneration Award is supported by the Scottish Government and is targeted at helping to achieve its strategic objectives to bring about a wealthier and fairer, smarter, healthier, safer and stronger and greener Scotland. The support of the Scottish Government is a recognition of the vital role that regeneration plays in changing the lives of people.

Sponsored by the Scottish Government’s Communities Analytical Services, the award is an acknowledgement of the crucial importance of a range of bodies, organisations and local groups in revitalising communities and neighbourhoods. It also recognises that physical improvements go hand in hand with social and economical developments to make a real difference to people’s lives.

Entering the award
The award is open to any organisation, group or partnership that can show how it has met as many as possible of the criteria listed below.

The judges will be looking in particular for evidence that lasting improvements have been made to the area, both physical and socio-economic, and that there are good prospects for the long-term viability of the area.

Improved the quality and mix of homes
This can include submissions that provide well designed and sustainable new or renovated housing, address a range of local needs/aspirations, make for mixed communities and create lifetime homes.

Developing a sense of place
This can be illustrated by ways in which the project has got members of the community involved, supported and maintained the existing community, attracted new people to the area, made improvements to the local neighbourhood and provided, or encouraged the development of facilities for all members of the community.

Contribution to broader local regeneration
This can include projects that have made a positive economic contribution to the area, have acted as a catalyst for further ongoing regeneration, or have created/supported local opportunities for jobs, training or education.

Showing Evidence of partnership working
This can include being an identified partner in the local regeneration strategy, or providing evidence of partnership agreements, demonstrating a number of partners such as public bodies, the private sector, community groups or community planning partnerships.

If you wish to apply for the award, please download and complete the online award submission form outlining in no more than 2000 words how you meet the criteria. You should include up to four photographs/pictures to illustrate each criterion for which you are supplying evidence. Completed forms and supporting material should then be emailed to scotland.awards@cih.org, faxed to 0131 220 6774, or posted to CIH Scotland, 4th Floor, 125 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4AD.

Closing date for entries is 30 November 2011

Shortlisted entries should be available for a site visit from the judging panel week beginning 9 January 2012.

The award winner will be announced and presented in March 2012 at the CIH Scotland Annual Conference and Exhibition.

The winner will:

• Receive plaques to display in all partners’ premises
• Be able to use the award logo on all stationery, annual reports and other promotional materials
• Be given the opportunity, as part of the conference, to showcase the project
• Be featured on the CIH Scotland website and in Scottish Housing Matters
• Be featured as a case study on the Scottish Government’s Learning Network website
• In addition all entries to the award by automatically entered for the CIH UK Housing Awards

To download an online submission, please click here.