Dartford Borough Council has celebrated outstanding success at the 2025 Royal Town Planning Institute Awards (RTPI) for Planning Excellence last week, winning two prestigious national awards for its pioneering riverside strategy.
On November 27, 2025, The Lower Darent Riverside Strategy won:
- The award for excellence in planning for the natural environment, and
- The national competition’s overall award ‘The Silver Jubilee Cup’.
Developed in partnership with global consultancy Arup, The Lower Darent Riverside Strategy sets out a bold, long-term vision to secure sustainable development along the River Darent while strengthening flood defences and improving connections between the river, Dartford town centre, and surrounding communities.
More than 90% of Dartford lies within flood risk zones, making it highly vulnerable to flooding, and high tides and river levels can cause tidal locking, preventing watercourses from discharging. Whilst the current flood risk in the town centre is low, this is expected to rise due to climate change and aging infrastructure.
Leader of the Council Jeremy Kite said: “Looking after Dartford’s natural spaces and making sure they’re protected in the future is one of our proudest achievements. We already do a lot of work to protect the river and keep it clean, and this strategy ensures that we can continue to look after it properly in the future. The River Darent is a huge part of our local identity, and with growing environmental and developmental pressures, we want to make sure that doesn’t change.”
The judges for the Awards for Planning Excellence praised the project, saying: “The project stands out for embedding flood alleviation at the heart of its design and delivery. It offers valuable lessons on a challenge that is being faced by many communities, demonstrating a collaborative and forward-thinking approach that fosters innovation and shared learning. By adopting an ecosystems-focused framework, the strategy delivers sustainable, resilient, and lasting benefits for both people and the natural environment.”
By integrating nature and human systems into placemaking design, the strategy will deliver significant environmental, economic and social benefits throughout the river corridor. Increasing flood risk, driven by climate change, will be managed through nature-based solutions wherever possible, alongside flood defence treatments that encourage people to safely interact with the river.
In urban areas, re-designed river edges will create attractive social spaces that reconnect communities to the river while increasing flood storage capacity. The strategy supports economic growth, protects residents, and sets a new benchmark for climate adaptation.
New bridge locations and improvements to cycle and pedestrian paths will create seamless links between key pathways, including major routes like the Thames Path, National Cycle Route 1 and the Darent Valley Path. The strategy has now been formally adopted by Dartford Borough Council and is referenced within the Dartford Local Plan, ensuring sustainable riverside development for the future.