Final five announced for Greater Manchester’s Building of the Year competition

THE shortlist has been announced for this year’s Greater Manchester Building of the Year competition.

The award, which is judged by Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s Property and Construction Committee, will be contested by five buildings and developments: Ronald McDonald House on Hathersage Road, Manchester; The Space Youth Intervention Centre for 42nd Street, Manchester; Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester; Essa Academy, Lever Edge Lane, Bolton; and the Co-operative Headquarters, Angel Square, Manchester.

The Ronald McDonald House has been nominated for its striking appearance at the gateway of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and for the service it provides.

The Space is a new facility for the charitable trust, 42nd Street, which provides support services to young people under stress. It has been created through a process driven by change management and a desire to create a legacy for 42nd Street into the future.

Chetham’s School of Music building comprises purpose-built performance spaces, a full academic school and a plethora of state-of-the-art music teaching and practice spaces.

The Essa Academy in Bolton is a new educational building, which has made a significant contribution to the regeneration of the area.

Finally, the new Co-operative headquarters on Angel Square shows the commitment of the Co-op to Manchester, and is a major investment in the city in challenging economic times.

Phil Cusack, chair of the Chamber’s Property and Construction Committee, said: “The UK construction industry has now been in a depressed state for almost four years. We expected that it would be difficult to find exceptional projects for this award but the opposite has proved to be true – we have looked at some great buildings which have been built and designed with imagination and flair. The shortlist for the Greater Manchester Building of the Year 2012 demonstrates that the city region is still capable of producing the best, even in difficult economic times.”

The Chamber’s Property and Construction Committee, which consists of industry representatives, nominated a number of buildings and developments from across Greater Manchester at the last committee meeting. The winner will be announced by Sir Howard Bernstein at the property and construction sector’s Annual Dinner on 11th October at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.