The search starts today to find Huddersfield’s best designed buildings.
Huddersfield Civic Society holds its Design Awards every year and is now appealing for both its members and the public to name their favourite buildings in each of the categories.
Now in their third year, these awards have been presented to the very best developments within Huddersfield that have been completed over the past couple of years.
Nominations are needed for five categories – Best New Development, Best Shop Front, Best Refurbishment, Best Residential Development and the Examiner Readers Award.
The Society is again teaming up with the Examiner in this category so its readers have a chance to vote for the development which they feel has contributed most towards helping improve the quality and image of the town. People can nominate as many buildings as they like from each category but don’t nominate buildings that triumphed last year.
Last year the overall winner, St. Peter’s Church, won the Best Refurbishment and the Examiner Readers Award after and extensive but sensitive restoration work carried out to a very high standard, helping ensure that one of the town’s most significant structures was both enhanced and fit for its purpose as a historic place of worship and centre of community activity.
Category winners were St David’s Building at Huddersfield Grammar School (Best New Development): The Castings accommodation (Best Residential) for 633 students at King’s Bridge Road at the bottom of Newsome Road: Stirley Farm’s Cre8 barn (Best Refurbishment) and the Best Shop Front award was shared by two retailers, Wood menswear and La Fleur flower and bridal shop, who took over part of the former Strawberry Fayre premises on Westgate.
Nominated buildings should fall within the former Huddersfield borough boundary. That is between Outlane and Fixby in the north, Berry Brow and Almondbury in the south, Milnsbridge in the west and Cooper Bridge and Waterloo in the east. Projects must have been completed between July 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015.
People have until New Year’s Eve to submit their choices. A panel will choose the winners from each category and decide who receives the Examiner Readers’ Award. These winners will receive plaques and a Huddersfield Civic Society trophy will be awarded to the outright winner at an event in March 2016.
The judges will consider quality of design and materials, appropriateness to street setting and adjacent property, functionality, accessibility, contribution to environmental sustainability and quality of landscaping.
Huddersfield Civic Society vice chairman David Wyles said: “Not only will the awards raise the profile of Huddersfield Civic Society but of the town itself, something that we, as members of the Society, the Examiner and all its readers are keen to do. We also hope that category winners will be submitted for consideration in the national design awards organised by Civic Voice.
“We hope people will participate in these awards by submitting your nominations. We look forward to receiving them.”
At last year’s awards held at Huddersfield Town Hall Society president Richard Ward said: “This is a difficult time for many of our towns and cities but the range and quality of the winning categories demonstrates there is pride in helping make Huddersfield a better place and realisation that good design attracts business, improves spending and raises the profile of the town.”
Completed nomination forms should be sent to R. Huddleston, 3 Booth Bank, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5XA, email: richardehuddleston@gmail.com or go to the Civic Society website at www.huddersfieldcivicsociety.org.uk Design Awards page, complete the form online and submit.
