SKIPTON-based planning and development company Rural Solutions narrowly missed being named 'consultancy of the year.'

The company, based in Canalside House, Brewery Lane, was one of five finalists shortlisted in the annual awards of industry magazine, Planning.

At last week's ceremony, it was just pipped to the post by a much larger international planning company.

It did, however, round off a strong year of growth and development for Rural Solutions.

In addition to involvement in many varied national schemes and local projects, including an anaerobic digestion plant on the Bramham Estate, housing schemes in Skipton, holiday and wedding accommodation in the Yorkshire Dales and off-road driving leisure experience at Broughton Hall Estate, the planning team has also grown considerably in the last year.

Three new planners have joined - Kate Girling, an experienced chartered town planner, who joined from Leeds planners Indigo, Lisa Allison who is also a chartered town planner previously with Walton and Co planning lawyers and Kike Odekunle who is a planner with strong experience in the renewables and leisure sectors.

Rural Solutions managing director William Fry said: “To reach the finals and be shortlisted is testament to the fantastic planning team we have at Rural Solutions and their dedication and commitment to aiding our clients with their planning projects while ensuring that we enhance the landscape and bring vitality to the communities we work with.

"The planning regime in England is constantly shifting which can make it a challenging field to work in but our team relish the opportunities and it is superb for our achievements to be recognised on a national level”.