NI Buidlings Shortlisted For UK Awards

Four recently completed Northern Ireland construction schemes will compete with some of the UK's most spectacular buildings for a major award, it is announced today.

The Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast (pictured); The Laundry Yard at Florence Court in Enniskillen; the regeneration of Newcastle, County Down; and the headquarters of construction company Graham in Dromore are on the shortlist for the highly-regarded Royal Institute For Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards.

The recently completed local projects will go head-to-head with impressive entries from England, Scotland and Wales, with the winners to be announced at a grand final event at the Savoy in London on October 21st.

Other contenders include the Restoration of Christ Church Library at Oxford; the new KPMG headquarters at Canada Square in London; the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh; and a Roman Baths development in Bath.

In addition to a winner in each of four categories - Community Benefit, Building Conservation, Regeneration, and Sustainability - an overall winner will be selected from the category winners.

RICS Northern Ireland Director, Ben Collins, said:"We are delighted to see these local projects on the shortlist and we hope to see one of them going on to become a winner. These projects demonstrate how the skills of chartered surveyors and other property professionals enhance local communities, boost the economy, and preserve and protect both the environment and our built heritage. They are each exceptional schemes."

The Crescent Arts Centre is shortlisted in the Community Benefit category. The Laundry Yard at Florence Court has been shortlisted in Building Conservation. The regeneration of Newcastle is a contender in Regeneration. The headquarters of Graham is in the Sustainability category.

(LB/BMcC)