The £18m Beacon of Light has been highlighted as the region’s best building at prestigious property awards.
The Wearside sports, community and education facility took the top prize of Project of the Year at the RICS Awards, 2019, North East, held in Newcastle last night, Friday April 26.
More than 40 of the North East’s best, community-led built projects battled it out at the awards ceremony, held at Newcastle ’s Civic Centre, to be named the best in the region at the annual event.
The Beacon of Light won the Community Benefit category award before being named the overall Project of the Year, the title presented to the category winner that demonstrates outstanding best practice and commitment to adding value to its local area.
The state-of-the-art building is the result of the Foundation of Light charity’s pledge to combat reported shortcomings in the region’s education, health and employment skills, and is the first not-for-profit facility of its kind in the UK.
It offers everything from educational and wellbeing resources to skills training, pathways to employment, healthy lifestyle activities and a host of sports.
Activities and initiatives include the Beacon of Light School, for students marginalised from mainstream education, along with walking football and netball games as well as toddler play groups and an NHS Veterans’ Mental Health Service.
Adam Serfontein, who chaired the North East judging panel, said: “This inspirational, grand yet welcoming, building is an extremely worthy home for the Foundation of Light and the diverse range of invaluable services and projects the charity currently provides to improve people’s lives.
“It has also created a positive, visible landmark for Sunderland, with colour-changeable lighting that supports special awareness campaigns and the city’s football team.
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“Successfully delivering on its goal to involve, encourage, inspire and motivate, the team behind it – FaulknerBrowns, Foundation of Light, Identity Consult and Tolent – have delivered an exemplary, much-loved community asset that is averaging around 4500 visitors each week, making it a stand-out Project of the Year.”
Other winners on the night included former Barclays Bank building 71 Grey Street, which has been transformed into swish new offices to win the commercial award, Darlington’s Hippodrome & Theatre Hullabaloo which won the building conservation prize and Spanish City which took the tourism and leisure prize.
Hosted by BBC Look North TV Presenter, Jeff Brown, a number of Highly Commended certificates were also handed out at the event, to Middlesbrough Town Hall Restoration & Refurbishment, Middlesbrough (Building Conservation), Level Q, Stockton-on-Tees (Commercial property), Janet Nash House, Durham (Design through Innovation) and Longhirst Hall, Morpeth (Residential).
Mr Serfontein added: “A diverse range of innovative projects, of all sizes and budgets, made the shortlist this year and the winners are truly representative of our region’s best and most innovative built projects that are having a significant positive impact on their communities.
“The teams behind these winning projects should be very proud of their exceptional achievements and contribution to the region.”
All category winners will go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final in October, held in London, for the chance to be crowned the overall UK winner in their respective category.
The winners of all eight categories were announced as:
Building Conservation – Darlington Hippodrome & Theatre Hullabaloo, Darlington
Commercial – 71 Grey Street, Newcastle
Community Benefit - Beacon of Light, Sunderland
Design through Innovation – Cleveland Community Safety Hub, Middlesbrough
Infrastructure - Northern Spire, Sunderland
Regeneration – Ravensworth Road Regeneration Scheme, Gateshead
Residential - The Green, Hartlepool
Tourism & Leisure - Spanish City, Whitley Bay
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