Best Project

Delivered in a challenging context and with a challenging budget, North Bank is quiet, yet deceptively sophisticated. It subtly embodies the spirit of the place in which it stands, respecting it's physical, cultural and historic context. Elliott Architects worked closely with the client, the heritage consultant and the LPA to create a rigorously detailed, crafted and sensitive contemporary house which embodies cultural meaning; in a world of superficial motifs and ubiquitous design 'moves' it is a proud design which is bourn of its context; it is a house of Northumberland.

City Hall plays a major role in the Riverside Sunderland Masterplan, contributing to significant regeneration which has facilitated positive change for people and businesses. The use of a city centre brownfield site for a building which has been designed with health and wellbeing at the forefront epitomises sustainable development. City Hall provides an icon for the city, it is symbol of change and progression. The project provides significant benefit to the local community by bringing together a number of key services that are essential everyday life.

Judges commented

The North East judges are delighted to have given the Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy award to the Sunderland City Hall project due to it being the catalyst for significant regeneration and transformational economic impacts across the City combined with exemplar contemporary architecture and design, both internally and externally.

Now an iconic feature on the Sunderland townscape, City Hall is central to the Sunderland Riverside Masterplan which has been widely referred to as the most ambitious city centre regeneration project in the UK. The Masterplan will see delivery of around 1,000 new homes, new civic facilities, substantial private sector office space, a new bridge and enhanced public realm with the area anticipated to become a thriving and vibrant part of the City. City Hall is the focal point and the catalyst for delivery of the overall Masterplan, playing a major role in this growth strategy and contributing towards significant regeneration benefits along with positive change and outcomes for local people and businesses.  

City Hall has provided an icon for Sunderland and it is a symbol of change and progression. It is a new fit-for-purpose civic building built on previously developed land in a central part of the City that is highly accessible by public transport. The project has also facilitated redevelopment of the previous outdated Civic Centre site releasing a significant parcel of land for high quality residential development in a central location of a type that has been lacking in Sunderland for several decades.

The judges have been highly impressed by the architectural and sustainability credentials of the scheme and also by the extensive methods of community and political engagement before, during and after the planning application process. Sensitive issues such as expenditure on new civic facilities have been delicately handled throughout and the wider economic benefits for the City are already becoming clear to see through delivery of the wider Sunderland Riverside Masterplan and attraction of other private sector investment.

Ian Cansfield, Director of Planning and EIA at Cundall LLP 
“Cundall were thrilled to be the recipient of the North East Project of the Year Award on behalf of our client, the Local Planning Authority and the design team.  It’s great to have our work recognised by the judges as industry experts and then also to be able to show it off to the RTPI National President on his tour of the region.  We are now really looking forward to the National Awards in November!”

Elliott Architects worked closely with the client, the planning consultant and the LPA to create a rigorously detailed contemporary house in a sensitive greenbelt setting. The design employs sustainable design and technologies, and was delivered to the highest standards with a very modest cost per square meter. The planning process was smooth because of the considered approach of the team, and the project should therefore be recognised for its contribution to, and demonstration of, how the design agenda can be at the forefront of modern planning.

Situated in the heart of Stockton-on-Tees town centre is The Sycamores, a stylish 157-home development delivered by Keepmoat Homes in partnership with Stockton Borough Council.

This regeneration development offers high-quality, stylish, affordable homes and with a take on the Healthy New Town’s agenda, encourages a healthy and active lifestyle within the community.  A total of £7,618,623.09 in Social Value has been successfully created, exceeding the £6,000,000 target through supporting the local community, economy and those economically challenged.

The development is a perfect example of what Keepmoat Homes do: Building Communities. Transforming lives.