A CORNISH planning consultancy which has represented community groups at virtually no charge has won a top national award.

Laurence Associates, based in Lemon Street, Truro, has been named as small planning consultancy of the year, the highest professional accolade available to this type of company.

The company has taken on issues of concern in the community and represented them at public inquiries. This has included representing residents of the Penweathers area of Truro in their successful efforts to stop a goat farm being run beside the railway track near their homes.

Laurence Associates beat rivals from throughout the UK to win the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) award, which recognises all planning consultancies with 10 chartered town planners or fewer.

Directors Paul Bateman and Laurence Osborne collected the award from RTPI president Ann Skippers, and Justin Webb, host of the BBC's Today programme, at the Hilton Park Lane, London.

The award followed the submission of a number of projects by the business and a presentation to the judging panel last November.

The judges said: "Laurence Associates has embraced the need to promote sustainable development. The practice has expanded in response to the needs of clients and now includes architectural technicians, landscape architects, visualisation experts, and a code for sustainable homes assessor.

"Close working relationships with clients bring together the right range of skills and understanding of local issues and engagement with communities affected by developments, enabling innovative solutions to be developed. The firm undertakes pro bono work and helps local communities and charities."

Mr Bateman said it had been an achievement to be shortlisted and then win surpassed all expectations.