THE controversial redevelopment of St George’s Square has been shortlisted for a top architecture award.

The £4m revamp was yesterday nominated for the Yorkshire White Rose Awards organised by the Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA).

The new-look square, which was unveiled last October, includes fountains and a water cascade.

Award judges praised the work by Leeds-based Whitelaw Turkington Landscape Architects, saying: “The scheme enhances the existing classical architecture and creates a public area suitable for both everyday use and special events with new water features, planting and specialist lighting design.”

The council’s Cabinet member for regeneration Clr Peter McBride welcomed the news yesterday.

He said: “We’re pleased to hear that Whitelaw Turkington’s design for St George’s Square has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize.

“We unveiled the new-look square nine months ago and since then I’ve been watching its popularity and use steadily grow, especially over recent weeks when the water features have proven to be a welcome relief from the heat for many a child.

“The new square lent itself particularly well to last weekend’s carnival, which for the first time ever was staged in its entirety in the town centre.

“Creating a high-quality and flexible public space in the centre of a busy town is always a challenge, but one which I’m pleased RIBA has acknowledged has been completed with flair here in Huddersfield.”

The square is one of 19 Yorkshire sites shortlisted for the awards.

The Passivhaus in Denby Dale has also been nominated. The property, built by Golcar-based Green Building Store, uses 90% less energy than a conventional home.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at Sheffield City Hall on November 26.

The regeneration of the square was riddled with problems, including:

October 2007: Kirklees announces plans to move Harold Wilson’s statue from in front of the railway station to outside the Head of Steam as part of the redevelopment. The proposal is dropped after his widow Lady Wilson and Prime Minister Gordon Brown protest

May 2008: Work gets underway

June 2008: Kirklees claims the work will be finished by October 2008. The council ends up being right about the month, but wrong about the year

July 2008: Lindley Lib Dem Clr Christine Stanfield tries to block the use of £215,000 of pink Chinese granite on the square

February 2009: Two businesses in the square – the George Hotel and Bramley’s Estate Agents – complain that power cuts caused by the work have cost them tens of thousands of pounds in lost trade

March 2009: Work halts as contractors Wrekin Construction goes into administration

July 2009: The Examiner reveals that taxpayers will fork out £1,000 a week to maintain the square’s water features

October 2009: The new-look square is opened

January 2010: Seven people are injured after a bus drives over a loose stone slab on Railway Street. Kirklees Council blames the accident on Wrekin

July 2010: The £230,000 cascade is turned off after one of its pump breaks down.

YOUR VIEWS:

CARL MEDDINGS, 47, architecture lecturer at the University of Huddersfield, lives in Meltham.“They have done a really good job, the square looks sophisticated and humble. The designer hasn’t made the mistake of trying to be brash and snazzy, like a lot of urban developments.“Street furniture is sometimes over-designed – like the red bus stops in Bradford – but St George’s Square has a timeless quality.“I like the water features as well, they are very simple rather than being over-the-top. I would hold this up to my students as a good example of regeneration.”

ALFRED GARRELL, 72, visiting Huddersfield from Newcastle.“I think it’s beautiful, I’m really surprised at how well it looks. I’m not sure about the Harold Wilson statue though, to be quite honest I think it’s distracting.“The water features are lovely and the view from the bottom of the square is superb, the whole thing looks very impressive.“I think the £4m the redevelopment cost was well worth it. The square is a credit to Huddersfield.”

PAUL STRUDWICK, 55, from Newark in Nottinghamshire, visiting Huddersfield as part of a trans-Pennine railway pub crawl.“Huddersfield station is certainly the most impressive station I’ve seen on the pub crawl and I think the square shows off the station well.“I wasn’t sure about the fountains at first but then they came on and it was a bit like Russian roulette with the children running through them.“I can’t say that I noticed the pink granite so it can’t be particularly offensive. Spending £4m does seem a lot but the square looks very nice and open and clean.”

VICKI LONG, works at Lions Chambers in the square.“I think the square looks really nice, it’s easily better than it was before. I like the fountains because children can play in them and I think the cascade is really cool.“The redevelopment work was very noisy and it seemed to go on forever, but I think it was worth it in the end. “I think £4m is a ridiculous cost though, that money could have been used for something else.”

MANJIT SINGH, 54, taxi driver based in the square, lives in Birkby.“It’s good that they’ve put in fountains and I think the trees make a big difference. People from all walks of life can come here and enjoy the square.“Apart from costing too much money, I think the redevelopment is a good thing.“I’ve been based in the square since 1984 and my customers from other towns and cities often say how much they like it. I think it does deserve an award.”