Winners of regional construction awards revealed

The winners of the 14th annual North West Regional Construction Awards have been announced, celebrating best practice in the delivery of homes, workplaces, hospitals, schools, universities, transport and infrastructure.

The announcement was made online at a virtual awards ceremony last Thursday, hosted by the University of Salford’s Centre for Construction Innovation and attended by more than 100 construction companies across the North West.

In partnership with Constructing Excellence, the NWRCA recognise exceptional companies and projects in the region that have demonstrated “strength, passion and commitment throughout their project delivery in a collaborative and sustainable manner”, according to the organisers.

The awards were sponsored by Place North West, PlaceTech, HMS (the contracting arm of Liverpool-based housing provider Torus), marketing agency Clear and Hays Recruitment.

Head judge Professor Peter McDermott, of the University of Salford, said: “In a year that has been especially challenging, these awards recognise and acknowledge the achievements the sector has encountered.

“It was an honour to chair a panel of distinguished judges and a very impressive shortlist of initiatives by leading companies and organisations. This year was harder than ever to choose from the fantastic entries as so many have risen and overcome the challenges they faced.

“Congratulations to everyone on our shortlist, those who have special commendations and especially all our winners in this extraordinary year.”

From left, McDermott and Farmer

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, opened the online awards ceremony with a regret that the event was not able to be held as planned at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool’s Docklands. However, he said he was hopeful that the North West construction industry could help pave the way for the region’s post-Covid economic recovery.

Rotheram also announced the launch of a £190m modular construction programme to retrofit existing homes in the city region and build new homes, using pioneering modern methods of construction (MMC) technologies. LCR plans to invest further in housing, train stations, commercial space and highways, he said.

Meanwhile, guest speaker Mark Farmer, a member of the Construction Leadership Council’s senior advisory group and honorary professor at the University of Salford, said: “We’ve all known for a long time that we need to do things differently… and we are starting to see the beginning of real change.

“The industry has found its voice and a level of unification we have never seen before.”

The winners of the North West Awards will be put forward to the national Constructing Excellence Awards, which will take place in early 2021.

The full list of winners:

Conservation & Regeneration Award

Winner: The White Lion

Organisations Involved: Bowker Sadler Architecture, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Trafford Housing Trust, Anderton Gables and Casey

Digital Construction Award sponsored by PlaceTech

Winner: MMU Arts & Humanities Building

Organisations Involved: Morgan Sindall Construction, Manchester Metropolitan University, Allies & Morrison, Arup, Turner & Townsend, Charcoal Blue, Drama by Design and SRL

Health, Safety & Wellbeing Award

Winner: Liverpool Waters, Merseyside

Organisation Involved: Safer Sphere, Peel Land and Property

Innovation Award

Winner: Axis Tower Manchester

Organisations Involved: WSP, Property Alliance Group, Jon Matthews Architects and Russell WBHO

Integration & Collaborative Project Award

Winner: High Bay Warehouse, Packing and Logistics Project

Submitted By: AstraZeneca and BES

People Development Award sponsored by HMS

Highly Commended: Warden Construction

Winner: Krol Corlett Construction

Value Award

Highly Commended: Warrington Strategic Highways programme

Organisations Involved: Warrington Borough Council, Balfour Beatty and Scape Civil Engineering and Infrastructure

Winner: The Knowledge Quad

Organisations Involved: Liverpool City Council, Morgan Sindall Construction and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool

Client of the Year

Winner: Manchester Metropolitan University

Nominated by Morgan Sindall Construction

Contractor of the Year sponsored by Place North West

Highly commended: Crossfield Group

Highly commended: Warden Construction

Winner: Russell WBHO

SME of the Year sponsored by Hays

Winner: The LK Group

Sub-regional Project of the Year Award – Cheshire, Warrington & Wirral

Highly commended: Church Drive Primary School – External Envelope Improvement and Restoration

Organisations involved: Krol Corlett Construction Limited and E3 Cube

Sub-regional Project of the Year Award – Cumbria

Winner: Windermere Jetty – Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories

Organisations Involved: Turner & Townsend Project Management Ltd, Turner & Townsend Cost Management Ltd, Lakeland Arts, Carmody Groake Ltd and Thomas Armstrong

Sub-regional Project of the Year Award – Liverpool

Winner: Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool

Organisations Involved: Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, BDP, Laing O’Rourke and Aecom

Sub-regional Project of the Year Award – Manchester

Winner: MMU Arts & Humanities Building

Organisations Involved: Morgan Sindall Construction, Manchester Metropolitan University, Allies & Morrison, Arup, Turner & Townsend, Charcoal Blue, Drama by Design and SRL

Project of the Year

Highly commended: MMU Arts & Humanities Building

Organisations Involved: Morgan Sindall Construction, Manchester Metropolitan University, Allies & Morrison, Arup, Turner & Townsend, Charcoal Blue, Drama by Design and SRL

Winner: Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool

Organisations Involved: Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, BDP, Laing O’Rourke and Aecom

Professor Karl Dayson, pro vice-chancellor of research and enterprise at the University of Salford, said: “As host and main sponsor of the NWRCA, I was delighted to present the Innovation award.

“An innovative construction sector is key to the grand challenges that we are all facing in terms of the immediate recovery from the pandemic and the need to focus clearly on climate change and levelling-up.”

And Conor Leyden, managing director of the LK Group said: “We are incredibly proud to be recognised as SME of the Year in the North West. These awards serve to highlight the sheer determination and resilience of the construction sector in this unprecedented year.

“We know that best practice and a commitment to encouraging young people into the industry through support, training and development are key to the long-term futureproofing of our industry.

“Well done to all the winners and many thanks to our colleagues, suppliers and clients for all their support over the past 23 years.”

A full recording of the awards event can be found at www.constructionawardsnw.co.uk