Awards For County Borough’s Finest New Buildings

The impressive extension of South Wales Police’s Bridgend Headquarters has been recognised at Bridgend County Borough Council’s eleventh annual LABC Building Excellence Awards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Constructors Willmott Dixon picked up the accolade for ‘Best Large Commercial Building’ at the awards ceremony which was held last week in the Civic Offices, Bridgend. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The two-storey police HQ, which was built during the second world war as part of the munition operations, had to be extended and refurbished while police operations continued at the site, and Willmott Dixon were commended for their organised approach. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The refurbishment included the introduction of a new heating and high efficiency lighting system, while the opportunity was also taken to upgrade the fire safety system. All new materials were selected to minimise the environmental impact and were obtained from sustainable sources. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other winners at the awards included Manning Construction, who won the ‘Best small new housing development award’ and ‘Special planning award’ for their work on building three new homes in Glanogwr Road, Bridgend on the site of the former Glanogwr council offices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Ceri Reeves, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “The LABC Building Excellence Awards are about celebrating excellence from the drawing board to the site. The awards are organised by the council’s building control team which carries out 7,000 inspections every year, from checking the foundations of a new house to the steel structures of an industrial project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Building Regulations are regularly changing in order to make buildings as safe, accessible and sustainable as possible. For example, during the last year, it has become compulsory for sprinkler systems to be incorporated into all new homes and flats that are built in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These awards recognise the quality of workmanship shown by constructors to not only comply with building regulations, but to also show the highest standards of technical innovation to construct buildings that meet customer needs and look great. All of the winners can feel extremely proud of their awards and I would like to congratulate them all on their success.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The full list of winners in Bridgend County Borough Council’s annual LABC Building Excellence Awards is as follows: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best extension and alteration: The extension of 80 Severn Road in Porthcawl by Ashton Building Construction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best individual new home: Beautiful workmanship on a property in Heol-Y-Cyw by SPF Construction and KWL Architects. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best small new housing development: Three new homes on land at the former Glanogwr Offices in Glanogwr Road, Bridgend, by Manning Construction and the Davies Evans Partnership. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best large volume new housing development: The development of a former industrial site by Waterstone Homes Ltd to build 47 new homes for Hafod Housing at Heol y Geifr in Pencoed. The agent was Spring Design. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best social or affordable housing development: An affordable housing development on land at Bethania Street, Maesteg, by CJ Construction (Wales) Ltd for Valleys to Coast Housing. The agent was James and Nicholas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best public service building: A new link corridor and gamma suite at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Coity Road, Bridgend, by John Weaver (Contractors) Ltd. The architect was Billy James. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best small commercial building: The development of Ger Y Nant, on Brook Street, Bridgend, by Encon Construction. The architect was Pentan Partnership. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best large commercial building: Extension and refurbishment of the South Wales Police HQ on Cowbridge Road, Bridgend, by Willmott Dixon and Oriel Architects. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Best site supervisor: Glyn Rees from Waterstone Homes Ltd, who is the site supervisor on the development at Heol y Geifr in Pencoed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Special planning award: Three new homes on land at the former Glanogwr Offices in Glanogwr Road, Bridgend, by Manning Construction and the Davies Evans Partnership. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each of the award winners will now compete against others from across the region in the South Wales Local Authority Building Control Awards which will be held at the Vale Resort on Friday 21 April before hopefully proceeding to the national awards later in the year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Bridgend County Borough Council Building Excellence Awards 2017 were sponsored by Encon Construction, ACD Skips Ltd, Jewson, GreenBuild Consult, CJ Construction, John Weaver Contractors, Willmott Dixon, Waterstone Homes, and James & Nicholas LLP. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​