Record entries for RICS Awards
A RECORD number of projects have been submitted from the West Midlands for one of the top prizes in the UK property industry.
Globally, 446 entries have been submitted for consideration in this year’s RICS Awards with projects ranging from small schemes built by the vision and persistence of one person, to multi-million pound, globally recognised developments.
The RICS Awards consist of four categories: building conservation, regeneration, sustainability and community benefit. Bodies submitting projects this year include universities, local and national government, private sector developers and local and national organisations.
In all, 31 regional entries have been received from the West Midlands – up from 16 last year.
Ian Pitt, RICS West Midlands Regional Chairman, said that in the current difficult climate for the construction sector, this was excellent news.
The awards celebrate the best new projects in the built environment and the 2010 winners will join a long line of inspirational building projects. Past winners in the West Midlands include prestigious projects such as the West Midlands Fire Service HQ relocation project in Birmingham.
Projects entered into the awards this year from Birmingham, include, the Muirhead Tower Refurbishment at the University of Birmingham (Building Conservation category), Birmingham’s Gymnastic and Martial Arts Centre (Community Benefit category), the new Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College (Regeneration category) and Crocketts Community Primary School, Smethwick (Sustainability category).
These projects will compete in a regional heat, with the best entrants then forming the shortlist for the grand final awards.
Details of shortlisted entries for the West Midlands will be released in April, with the winners announced in May. Regional winners then go through to the national final in October.
Mr Pitt, also a partner at Bruton Knowles said: “With a record number of entries in the West Midlands this year, the competition is even tougher.
“The 2009 awards raised the benchmark across all categories and this year’s successful entrants in the region will have to work even harder to prove that their schemes demonstrate excellence within their specific category.”
