Top prize goes to Totnes scheme built by Galliford Try subsidiary in collaboration with the council and a community group

A housing development built in collaboration between South Hams District Council, Galliford Try subsidiary Midas Homes and a local community group has won the top prize at the 61st Housing Design Awards.

The 53-home South Gate scheme in Totnes, built to Ecohomes “excellent” standard, was designed by the Harris Sutton Partnership and built by the council, Midas and housing association Sovereign.

The council worked with community group Design Our Space to come up with the plans for the scheme, which was to replace an unpopular development of flats.

The cost of achieving an “excellent” rating on the BREEAM Ecohomes scale was split between the council and the developers in order to ensure quality. The development was built by Midas Homes.

The other completed scheme winners in this year's design awards were: the Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects-designed Angel Waterside scheme in Islington, London; the Hereward Hall scheme by Proctor & Matthews and Home Group in March, Cambridgeshire; and the Riches Hawley Mikhail Architects Clay Field scheme in Elmswell with Orwell Housing Association, which won a special “future proof” award for its eco credentials.

Other planned developments to get awards included:

  • Ashburnham 3, Greenwich, London
  • Be, South Chase, Newhall, Harlow
  • Canning Town, east London
  • Downtown, Rotherhithe, London
  • Rear 39-61 Gwendwr Road, Hammersmith, London
  • Slo, South Chase, Newhall, Harlow
  • Tria, east London
  • Woolmer Gate, Liphook, Hampshire.

Speaking at the award ceremony, junior housing minister Ian Austin said: “I am delighted to offer my congratulations to today's award winners, all of which are examples for others to follow. They show the innovative and creative ways in which councils, developers, planners, architects and residents can work together to meet the housing needs of their local area. Each of these projects has resulted in good quality, eco-friendly homes that will meet the needs of local families both now and in the future.”

The Department for Communities and Local Government is lead sponsor of the awards, which are run by Design for Homes in partnership with the NHBC, the RIBA, the Royal Town Planning Institute and, for the first time, the Homes and Communities Agency.

The awards also made a point of remembering the long-time chair of its judging panel, and former head of the House Builders' Federation, Graham Pye, who died in June following an operation.


Totnes scheme

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