Savills has won a prestigious RTPI North West Award for Planning Excellence 2026 for its role in the transformation of Sunlight House, a landmark Grade II listed building in Manchester city centre.
The Manchester-based planning team alongside the national heritage team received the Judges’ Award for Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture at a ceremony held on Friday 19 June at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in the city. The award recognises its role in the heritage-led regeneration and adaptive reuse of one of the city’s most distinctive historic assets.
Working alongside Karrev, and in close collaboration with Manchester City Council, Savills provided planning and heritage advice to support the comprehensive refurbishment of Sunlight House. Completed in October 2025, the scheme has repositioned the building as high-quality, modern workspace while carefully preserving and enhancing its historic character.
In their feedback, RTPI judges described the project as “an excellent example of heritage-led regeneration”, praising the sensitive refurbishment, quality of design and the way the scheme balances conservation with sustainability. The introduction of decarbonisation measures and energy-efficient design, alongside the delivery of new workspace, was highlighted as supporting both climate objectives and economic growth.
The project was underpinned by a strong planning-led approach, involving phased applications and close collaboration with the local planning authority. Savills led a complex strategy which secured 11 listed building consents, four planning permissions and the discharge of 49 conditions, ensuring the building’s historic fabric was protected while enabling a flexible, future-ready use.
The refurbishment has delivered approximately 210,000 sq ft of workspace and significantly improved the building’s environmental performance, including an uplift in EPC rating from E to B alongside a target of BREEAM Excellent. Judges also noted the scheme as a clear model of best practice, demonstrating how thoughtful planning and partnership working can unlock the long-term value of heritage buildings without compromising their significance.
Jay Patel, Planning Director at Savills Manchester, said: “This is a hugely rewarding moment for everyone involved in Sunlight House. From the outset, our ambition was to show that heritage buildings can be both carefully conserved and boldly reimagined for modern use. The strength of collaboration between Savills, Karrev and Manchester City Council has been central to that success, and we’re incredibly proud to see the project recognised by the RTPI as a benchmark for heritage-led regeneration.”
David Jackson, Head of Planning and Savills Earth, added: “This is a fantastic achievement showing the strength of collaboration between our Manchester planning team and national heritage team. It is also well-deserved recognition of Karrev’s commitment to create a modern workspace whilst celebrating the heritage importance of Sunlight House. It’s great to see such a commitment to quality being recognised in this way as well as the recognition of how our teams across the UK are helping clients unlock the full potential of heritage assets through thoughtful, design-led approaches.”