Nine of Norfolk’s finest construction projects have been shortlisted for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) East of England Awards 2008.
Altogether a record 29 entries have been shortlisted from across the East of England and will battle it out at the final on Thursday 15 May.
Now in their 18th year, the RICS awards, celebrate and recognise exemplary projects across four categories – building conservation, regeneration, sustainability and community benefit.
The nine Norfolk projects shortlisted are:
• Appleyard’s Mill (Norwich)
The Hopkins Homes Apple Yard’s development, of one and two bedroom apartments, three and four bedroom townhouses and a three bedroom cottage, has been shortlisted in the regeneration category. Located in New Mills Yard, Norwich, the development is innovatively designed to re-create robust architecture alongside the banks of the River Wensum.
• Baltic Wharf (Norwich)
Hopkins Homes’ Baltic Wharf development, located off Mountergate in Norwich, on the banks of the River Wensum, is also competing in the regeneration category. The development saw a former warehouse on the site demolished and 18 homes created in keeping with the area’s industrial heritage.
• Cedar House (Norwich)
Crispin Lambert Architecture’s Cedar House project has been shortlisted in the sustainability category. Located in Cringleford, Norwich, the project is a contemporary Eco-house with many sustainable features and demonstrates that an aesthetically pleasing solution can successfully function in a sustainable way.
• Cley Reserve Visitor Centre (Cley-next-to-sea)
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Cley Reserve Visitor Centre is one of the finalists in the sustainability category. Designed by LSI Architects LLP the new centre at Cley Marshes reserve on the North Norfolk Coast, is inspiring and provides the local community and visitors with a valuable resource from which they can enjoy and learn about this unique environment.
• Dussindale Primary School (Thorpe St Andrew)
NPS Property Consultants Ltd and Norfolk County Council have entered the new Dussindale Primary School in the community benefit category of the awards. The first phase of the two stage project to build a new two storey primary school has been completed. The second phase will give the school a maximum capacity of 420 pupils and a 26 phase Early Years' facility.
• Henderson Business Centre (Norwich)
The Henderson Business Centre in Norwich has been shortlisted in the community benefit category. Feilden+Mawson LLP and Nelm Development Trust have created 1,339 square metres of incubation/start-up office space, supported by 600 square metres of light industrial units. The purpose of the new centre is to provide start-up accommodation for local businesses.
• Norwich Theatre Royal (Norwich)
This major redevelopment of one of the region’s leading theatres has been entered into the community benefit category. The project, designed by Tim Foster Architects, saw the street elevation and front of house areas completely remodelled to provide greatly improved audience facilities. The 1,300 seat auditorium was also refurbished and modernised.
• Scarning Primary School (Scarning)
NPS Property Consultants Ltd and Norfolk County Council have entered Scarning Village Primary School in the community benefit category. The project involved the replacement of three re-locatable classrooms at the 1800's school with permanent accommodation, which was designed to be in-keeping with the original design of the school.
• Surrey House and Atrium (Camberley)
Surrey House and Atrium in Camberley is one of the finalists in the building conservation category. The project by LSI Architects and Norwich Union saw this early 20th Century Surrey House - originally Norwich Union's headquarters - and Grade I listed building, imaginatively reworked to blend the architectural splendour of the past with a dramatic and contemporary atrium.
David Potter, RICS East of England operations manager, said: “The RICS awards is one of the most important and prestigious international showcases for the property industry. In the East of England we will be recognising and celebrating the projects that have led the way in helping to regenerate and conserve our region over the past year.”
“This year we have received a record-breaking number of entries and as always, all have been of a very high standard. All nine Norfolk projects have done extremely well to be amongst the finalists and I wish them all the very best of luck in the final.”
The 2008 RICS East of England regional dinner and awards are taking place at The Old Palace, Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. All 220 tickets for the awards have now sold out and will be entertained by special guests, BBC presenter Janine Machin, who will be hosting the event, and John Spence, chairman of Harlow Renaissance, who will be delivering the after dinner speech.
The event is being kindly sponsored by ECA, English Heritage, English Partnerships, Inspire East and Ridgeons.
All of the winners of the RICS East of England Awards 2008 will go through to the RICS Awards international final in London later this year.
