Nominations for the Academy of Urbanism Awards 2006 are in five categories - City of the Year, Great Town, Great Neighbourhood, Great Street and Great Place - and were made by members of the public through the academy's website, www.academyofurbanism.org.uk Contenders for the City of the Year title are Dublin, Edinburgh and London.

St Stephen's Green in Dublin has also been nominated for the Great Place award, in contention with Brindley Place, Birmingham, and Borough Market, London.

Other nominees are Lincoln, Ludlow and St Ives for the Great Town award; Clerkenwell (London), Clifton (Bristol) and Merchant City (Glasgow) for the Great Neighbourhood award, and Brick Lane and Marylebone High Street (both London) and the Royal Mile (Edinburgh) for the Great Street award. The winners will be revealed at an Oscars-style awards ceremony to be held at the Dorchester Hotel in London on November 10th.

Frank McDonald is a founder member of the Academy of Urbanism.