Tudor Cowdray House Ruin in Midhurst, Sussex, has been crowned overall winner of the RICS South East Awards 2008, as well as winner of the region's Building Conservation category. The project was in competition with 17 other shortlisted projects from across the South East and was announced the winner at a ceremony held at Oxford Castle, which was last year's overall winner.

Entered by Stonewest Limited, Tudor Cowdray House Ruin, which was devastated by fire in 1793, fought off fierce competition to take the accolade of overall winner. It was previously on the English Heritage `at risk' register and work began in 2005 to restore and transform it into a local and national heritage site.

Terry Adsett FRICS, a member of the South East judging panel, said, `The buildings, which were previously a dangerous ruin, are now fully acessible to the public as an `open air' museum. All the important architectural features have been retained.'

Three other Sussex projects also won awards. The New England Quarter in Brighton won the Regeneration category, Bexhill's De La Warr Pavilion was runner up in the Building Conservation category and Earthship Brighton was a Sustainability runner up.

The South East entries in both the Community Benefit and Sustainbility categories were of an exceptionally high standard, and in both of these categories the judges decided to present two runner up awards.

The winning project in each category now goes forward to the RICS Awards grand final being held on 17 October at the Millennium Hotel in London.

The full list of South East winners and runners up is as follows:

Building Conservation
Winner: Tudor Cowdray House Ruin, Midhurst, entered by Stonewest Limited
Runner up: De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, East Sussex, entered by John McAslan & Partners

Community Benefit sponsored by ECA

Winner: Everest Community College, Sherborne St John, Hampshire, entered by Hampshire County Council
Runner up: `The Big Project' Centenary House, Reading, Berkshire, entered by Reading Rotary Community Projects
Runner up: The Lightbox, Woking, entered by Marks Barfield Architects

Regeneration sponsored by The Osborne Group

Winner: New England Quarter, Brighton, entered by Quoin Estates & Developments Ltd
Runner up: Flag Staff Green, Gosport, Hampshire, entered by John Thompson & Partners

Sustainability sponsored by English Partnerships

Winner: Oxley Woods, Milton Keynes, entered by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Runner up: The Pines Calyx, St Margaret's Bay, Kent, entered by Helionix Designs
Runner up: Earthship Brighton, Brighton, entered by the Low Carbon Trust

Overall winner
Tudor Cowdray House Ruin, Midhurst, Sussex, entered by Stonewest Limited