Royal contender for buildings award

A cathedral, a college and a nature reserve are the very different settings for three finalists in a category of this year’s ProCon Leicestershire property and construction awards for the best new building projects.

The Small Non-Residential Scheme of the Year will be won by the reinterment of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral, Brooksby Melton College’s Catering & Hospitality Building or a volunteer training centre at Rutland Water.

The category, sponsored by Danaher & Walsh, is one of six in this year’s ProCon Awards, whose overall sponsors at Gateley Plc, Salus Approved Inspectors, Unique Window Systems and Westleigh Partnerships. The Leicester Mercury is the Awards’ media partner.

The Small Non-Residential Scheme of the Year finalists are:

Catering & Hospitality Building/Rural Food Centre, Brooksby Melton College, submitted by GF Tomlinson Building

Brooksby Melton College’s new facility provides training for 
students and a rural food shop and restaurant for the people of Melton.

Built on the old Barton Bus depot site, the town centre facility is a two storey modern environment with dedicated classrooms and specialist facilities for hospitality and catering training with fully equipped kitchens.

The reinterment of King Richard III, Leicester Cathedral, submitted by MDA Consulting

This prestigious project required the creation of a final burial place for King Richard III and a reorganisation of Leicester Cathedral for his reinternment.

The chancel was reconfigured to provide the new main altar and sanctuary under the crossing, a place for Richard III’s tomb, a new Chapel at the east end and a Chapel of Christ the King.

Volunteer Training and Working Centre, Egleton, submitted by Corporate Architecture

The new Volunteer Training and Working Centre at Rutland Water gives Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust a new home at the reservoir.

The Trust provides more than 350,000 hours each year to the conservation, protection and enhancement of wildlife at Rutland Water. It needed a new facility to train its growing band of volunteers.

Dan Danaher, managing director of the award’s sponsor Danaher & Walsh, said: ““The ProCon Awards night is the main construction and property event held in the East Midlands. As a leading civil engineering contractor in the region, Danaher & Walsh is proud to support this prestigious event.

“The Non-Residential Small & Large Scheme categories are closely aligned to the types of projects in which our company is involved across the region so, naturally, we are delighted to see such a high standard of entries. We look forward to celebrating the success of the winners on the night.”

The winner will be announced at a November ceremony at Leicester’s King Power Stadium.

The other five awards are:

• Small Residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Infrastructure Investment
• Large Residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Infrastructure Investment
• Large Non-residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Danaher & Walsh
• Regeneration Project of the Year, sponsored by EME Installations
• Sustainable Development of the Year, sponsored by Willmott Dixon