Last month the Royal Town Planning Institute, the largest planning institute in the world, awarded Cork Corporation its top planning award for work on the renewal of the city's historic core.
The corporation's urban pilot project has resulted in the physical and socio-economic revival of the medieval centre of the city, utilising over-shop accommodation, conserving buildings of historic interest and attracting artists to the area.
Before the latest award, the corporation had received awards from the Irish Planning Institute and the Heritage Council. Tomorrow Mr Kevin Murray, president of the RTPI, will visit Cork to meet city officials and planners. Such visits are normal for RTPI presidents when a major award has been granted. This will set the seal on a very good year for Cork town planning.