Space Studios wins ‘Best Regeneration Project’ at RICS Awards
Trio of Greater Manchester’s best community-led projects scoop top industry awards
Over 45 of the North West’s most impressive and community beneficial property projects battled it out for top honours at last night’s 2018 RICS Awards, North West where three of Greater Manchester’s much-loved built initiatives were recognised as the best in the region in their respective categories.
Held at the Principal Hotel in Manchester on 27 April, the annual RICS Awards, North West celebrate inspirational initiatives in the region’s land, property and construction sectors across eight category awards.
The £27 million Space Studios in West Gorton won the Regeneration award for acting as a catalyst to transforming a deprived neighbourhood – once infamous as the home of the characters on the Channel 4 TV series ‘Shameless’ – with a purpose-built TV production facility for the North of England.
The impetus for the project – delivered by Turner & Townsend, PRP LLP and Vinci Construction – was to increase aspiration amongst the local community leading to employability. RICS judges said it had successfully done just that, providing apprenticeships and free masterclasses that focus on trades related to the sector including set building, joinery, lighting, rigging, special effects, and make-up.
The winners of all eight individual categories – announced by host, veteran BBC news presenter, Clive Myrie in front of 300 property professionals – are as follows:
• Building Conservation – Moor Hall Restaurant & Rooms, Ormskirk
• Commercial – Stockport Exchange, Stockport
• Community Benefit – Sunbeam Music Centre, Penrith
• Design through Innovation – The Materials Innovation Factory, Liverpool
• Infrastructure – Mersey Gateway Project, Widnes
• Regeneration – Space Studios, Manchester
• Residential – Timekeepers Square, Salford
• Tourism & Leisure – Galloway’s, Morecambe
All category winners will go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final on 2 November 2018 in London, for the chance to be crowned the overall UK winner in their respective category.