DEVELOPER Keepmoat Homes is building its awards portfolio after winning plaudits for two North East developments.

The regeneration specialist was awarded Best Large Housing Scheme for its Trinity Gardens development near Middlesbrough at the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Excellence Awards.

It was also highly commended in the Best Housing category for its Westfield’s development at West Rainton, County Durham,

The annual awards are designed to celebrate excellence in construction, recognising and rewarding innovation, sustainability and design.

This is the fourth award for Trinity Gardens, which has already won the Social Housing Award at the 2010 Government Business Awards, the “Creating Better Places To Live by Regenerating Communities” category and the overall ‘Outstanding Achievement in Housing in England’ prize at the 2009 UK Housing Awards.

Built in partnership with Middlesbrough Borough Council and Tees Valley Housing, the development includes a new medical village, community facility, extra care housing scheme, childcare nursery and 150 properties for sale, rent and shared ownership.

Situated within the heart of a former pit village, Westfields is a development of 55 new homes on a former clearance site. It has been developed to provide affordable housing to help local people make the transition from renting to home ownership.

It has already helped 28 people onto the property ladder, 68% of which are first-time buyers, through its assisted purchase schemes.

Richard Bass, regional managing director at Keepmoat Homes North East, said: “It is great news for the company to have received this award and commendation.

“It is testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the partnership as well as the support of the local communities in which we build.”

The judges said: “The winner in this category is an excellent example of regeneration of a former run-down market square to provide an attractive mixed-use development consisting of a medical village, extra care houses and bungalows for sale or rent at affordable levels.”

Keepmoat Homes’ new sites include Blyth, Northumberland;, Kibblesworth Gateshead; Whitburn, South Tyneside; Bearpark and Byland Lodge, Durham; and Scotswood and Blakelaw, Newcastle; with the remaining three new sites to be announced.