Search for the town’s best buildings continues

A copy of an article in the Sutton Coldfield Observer dated 13th October 2017 relating to the awards and the Nomination form on the previous page of this website.

By Helen Draycott
News Reporter

ENTRIES are 'building' up in the search to find the town’s architectural gems which will be celebrated in this year’s Sutton Coidfield Civic Society Design Awards.

A number of nominations have been made in all three categories as the hunt to find the most inspiring infrastructure in the area continues.

In the category for best domestic building, the 27 new homes off Tudor Hill have been nominated for their “good. traditional design, fitting to the area with adequate space, decent materials and good layout".

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls‘ new classroom extension has been put forward for the title of best new nonresidential build.

Meanwhile. in the category celebrating renovation and restoration projects, a property in Heather Court Gardens. on the Four Oaks Estate, has been nominated for its blend of "contemporary architecture with Victorian villa/surroundings”.

A further nomination has also been received For Holy Trinity Parish Church after "the reordering project made the church welcoming and comfortable but has respected the integrity of a listed landmark building".

Anyone can make a nomination in this year's awards. with just over two weeks before the deadline for entries closes.

The categories include: 1) Best New Domestic Building, 2) Best New Non-Domestic Building and 3) Best Restoration. Reordering or Conservation.

In the first category judges will be looking for any single new building – houses, flats or apartments – or small groups of buildings which are particularly attractive in exterior design, enhance their surroundings and are sympathetic to them. and have not involved the demolition of an older building that was of local historical significance.

In the category for Best New Non-Domestic Building, judges are looking for any Premises. for instance, with at financial, religious. community, sports or industrial use - anywhere which provides a service to the public.

Finally the award for best restoration. re-ordering or conservation — which may include appropriate changes of use - of an existing building seeks to find older structures which have been carefully restored, renovated or adapted and which show the use appropriate materials, are being used for purposes which are suitable for their age and character have retained exteriors which are in sympathy with their settings.

As this is the Year of Conservation Areas. there will also be special recognition of an entry from any one of the categories which is in one of the town's three conservation areas - High Street. Anchorage Road and Four Oaks.

The competition is open to any project in the above categories which was started between January 2014 and the present time. and must be in a Sutton Coldfield postcode area.

Projects still in progress can be considered if they have reached an advanced state.

Those crowned the best in their category will follow in the footsteps of the last design award winners in 2013.

The winner of the best new build or renovation/restoration in a Sutton Coldfield postcode was 35 Hardwick Road in Streetly, while best commercial premises in the towns Business Improvement District was The Learning Resource Centre and the Wilson Building at Birmingham Metropolitan College’s Sutton Coldfield Campus.

Entries for this year’s competition should be submitted using the form on this page and sending It to: Royal Sutton Coldfield Observer‘. CIN. Venture Park Road. Bitterscote. Temworth, BT15 BLZ.

The closing date for entries is Tuesday October 31.