Pennine Lancashire Squared is a multi-site international design competition which aims to develop six unique, high-profile public spaces in six of the towns of Pennine Lancashire. These new additions or improvements to the public realm will provide an inspirational environment for people to use and enjoy every day, and will also provide examples of world class landscape design.

The Landscape Institute Competitions Office is running the competition in conjunction with regeneration agency Elevate and PLLACE (Pennine Lancashire Leaders and Chief Executives), a body that includes the heads of the local authorities for Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Lancashire County, and representatives from economic development, business CABE Space has provided enabling support for the development of Pennine LancSquared and the competition is also supported by the RIBA Competitions Office.

The inspiration for the competition comes from the proposals from Anthony H. Wilson and Yvette Livesey in their report, "Dreaming of Pennine Lancashire", which also coined the name Pennine Lancashire for the former mill towns now undergoing a renaissance through regeneration.

Expressions of interest are sought for this two-stage competition in which up to thirty design teams will be short listed and paid an honorarium to develop their proposals.

To receive the competition brief digitally and as a hard copy, the interested competitors should register their contact details in the competition website.

Competition Structure and Method of Evaluation for Short-listing Entrants
Stage one of the Pennine Lancashire Squared competition is the submission of expressions of interest by design teams.
Design teams must include: Landscape Architects

Design teams may also include:
- Urban designers
- Architects
- Artists
- Community engagement specialists
- Cost consultants
- Lighting engineers
- Structural engineers
- Surveyors
- Transport engineers

There will be six distinct competitions, one for each square; at stage one design teams will be asked to indicate which of the six competitions they will be entering. Teams may submit applications for all six competitions. The short-listing of design teams by the judging panel will be based on:

- Understanding of the role that good design might play in improving Pennine Lancashire Squares and Pennine Lancashire as a whole
- Range of appropriate expertise
- Relevant track record of projects of the scale proposed for the site/s
- Awareness and experience of engaging local communities and stakeholders
- Creative, innovative and imaginative design capability
- Clarity of proposal

Jury for Stage One
- Stephen R Hodder (MBE, Chair)
- Yvette Livesey (Livesey Wilson Associates)
- Arts Council England North West
- CABE Space enablers
- Elevate
- English Heritage
- Lead developer for Burnley square
- Lancashire Economic Partnership
- Lancashire County Council
- Landscape Institute
- Northwest Regional Development Agency
- Places Matter!
- Representatives from the six Pennine Lancashire local authorities

Submission
Entries must be submitted as two bound hard copies and on one CD by 22 August 2008. The CD must contain the entire submission in pdf format, including the images. Images must print up to A4. This should be contained in a single package and sent, carriage paid, addressed to: Pennine Lancashire Squared Design Competition, Sabina Mohideen Competitions Office The Landscape Institute 33 Great Portland Street London W1W 8QG

The judging will take place on 23 September 2008 and shortlisted design teams will be announced the following week. Summary feedback will be provided to all entrants by the end of October.

Winning Designs
It is the intention of the competition organisers to appoint the winning design team to develop their proposals, to gain all necessary approvals and to progress to implementation. A detailed brief and a budget position statement will be provided to the teams selected for stage two.

Stage Two
The conclusion of stage one will see the selection of up to five design teams per site. For stage two of the competition the teams will be asked to provide a design for the square(s) for which they have been short listed. Chosen teams will be given 2.000 Pounds + VAT honorarium (inclusive of expenses) per square.

Short listed teams will also be invited to attend an on-site briefing day, giving them an opportunity to meet keystakeholders. Teams will be required to participate in a creative programme of community engagement.