AN AWARDS ceremony is once again set to celebrate the county's finest architectural achievements

Applications are now being invited for the second annual Shropshire Council Conservation and Design Awards.

Launched last year, the awards are intended to acknowledge and celebrate the best architecture, urban design, planning, building conservation and landscape architecture in Shropshire.

Councillor Robert Macey, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for planning, said: “Shropshire Council is delighted to announce its second Conservation and Design Awards competition. We see Shropshire’s natural and historic environment as one of its greatest economic assets and also the thing that makes it such a great place to live, work and invest.

"These awards are intended to showcase the highest standards of design and environmental sustainability and celebrate the best in the county’s planning, design, development and construction sectors.

"We want to raise the bar in Shropshire in these areas and create a culture that promotes continuous improvement and excellence. We greatly look forward to receiving nominations in each of our award categories."

Entries are invited for projects in the Shropshire Council planning authority area which completed after 2015 and before the end of September 2018.

Categories include

- Restoration or repair of a Listed Building – for projects achieving the highest standards of historic research, conservation and craftsmanship

- New design in the historic environment – for projects introducing contemporary design and materials in a conservation area, preserving and enhancing a non-designated heritage asset or within the setting of a designated asset

- Natural environment – for projects focused on enhancing the natural environment, including arboricultural protection and planting, the character of the wider landscape and the quality of setting.

- Commercial scale developments – for projects which have a community or business end use.

- Accredited housing scheme – for multiple unit housing projects achieving the highest standards for lifetime homes, and eco and passive building design.

- Concept or masterplan – for projects pushing the boundaries of design in the county, but which have not yet been implemented.

- Domestic extension.

-The People’s Choice award will be given to one or more of the schemes entered, which will be assessed separately, in collaboration with council.

The closing date is October 1 2018, with judging to take place in November and December, ahead of a presentation event on January 18.

Site visits will take place to those schemes nominated in each category.

Details of the scheme name and address, planning reference and architect or agent’s contact details, with a comprehensive series of images and plans showing the site pre and post development should initially be submitted byemail to historic.environment@shropshire.gov.uk.

They should be accompanied by a statement addressing the judging criteria of sustainability, design quality, ability to delight, craftsmanship and response to context.