Ex-hospital inOscars running

Apr 8 2008 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

THE transformation of Middlesbrough’s former old General Hospital site is in the running for a top award from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

St Cuthbert’s Mews, a property site developed by house builder Yuill Homes, one of a number of Teesside projects in the running for the fifth annual North-east “property Oscars”.

The shortlist for the RICS North East Renaissance Awards includes 43 projects which will compete for nine awards at the RICS gala dinner on Friday, April 18 at the Civic Centre, Newcastle.

Yuill Homes, which is developing 140 properties at the former hospital site, has been nominated in the regeneration category.

Other categories are building conservation, sustainability, community benefit, commercial, residential, tourism and leisure and innovation and design - with each category winner being considered for the ninth and ultimate title RICS Project of the Year.

RICS North East operations director Jennifer Welch says the 2008 shortlist has one of the most diverse range of projects she’s seen.

“The judging criteria means that the smallest of regeneration projects is assessed equally against the grander schemes. Vision, quality, excellence and craftsmanship all count very highly,” she said.

Backing up its commitment to the North-east, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) agreed to be the main sponsors of the awards again this year.

Other Tees Valley projects on the shortlist are:

Commercial: DKS Offices, Stokesley - DKS Architects.

Commercial: Armstrong Richardson Office, Stokesley - DKS Architects.

Regeneration: Aspen Gardens, Stockton - Browne Smith Baker.

Community benefit: Aspen Gardens, Stockton - Browne Smith Baker.