GALWAY will soon battle it out for the chance to be voted the best town in the UK and Ireland after being shortlisted by a prestigious think tank.

The Academy of Urbanism, whose members include industry-leading architects, planners, engineers, developers and designers, has announced which finalists would compete for the titles of European City of the Year, Great Town, Great Neighbourhood, Great Street and Great Place.

Held annually, the Academy’s Urbanism Awards recognise the best, most improved or most enduring urban environments.

Galway has been selected as one of three finalists for The Great Town category along with Falmouth in Cornwall and Shrewsbury in Shropshire.

A panel of assessors will now visit during the summer before the Academy’s members vote on who deserves the award. The panel will look to judge the town on a range of criteria, including governance, commercial success and social sustainability.

Unveiling the finalists at The Academy of Urbanism’s Annual Congress in Derry, Chairman Kevin Murray said: “Urbanism is all about learning how building a better physical and social environment can improve our communities and our quality of life.

“All of these finalist places have demonstrated that they are worthy of praise – but it remains to be seen which ones will win at our awards in November,” he added.

”The Academy of Urbanism brings together a group of leaders, thinkers and practitioners involved in the social, cultural, economic, political and physical development of our villages, towns and cities,” he explained.

“The Academy was formed in 2006 to extend urban discourse beyond built environment professionals, and to create an autonomous, politically independent and self-funded learned voice that seeks to identify, learn from and promote best practice in urbanism,” he concluded.

Ten places in each category reached the longlisted nominations stage, and three finalists were subsequently announced in each category at the Congress Dinner which was held on May 10 at the Beech Hill Hotel, Derry.

All five category winners will be announced at the annual Urbanism Awards Ceremony in London on November 9.