Regional LABC award for a unique Suffolk home with two faces

East Anglian Daily Times: Hartwood House near Bury St Edmunds. Maple Building Services has won a regional LABC (Local Authority Buidling Control) Building Excellence Award 2018 - Best Individual New HomeHartwood House near Bury St Edmunds. Maple Building Services has won a regional LABC (Local Authority Buidling Control) Building Excellence Award 2018 - Best Individual New Home (Image: Chevron Photography)

Suffolk builders Maple Building Services, based in Long Melford, was an award winner at the reginal LABC awards, held at King’s College, Cambridge.

Maple Building Services attended the finals and won the LABC (Local Authority Building Control), 2018 Excellence Award for best individual new home.

The award was for a 2017 new-build Hartwood House, near Bury St Edmunds and shared with Dean Jay Pearce Architectural Design and Planning Ltd, also based in Long Melford.

Darren Howard, managing director of Maple Building Services said: “This is a really unique house.

East Anglian Daily Times: Maple Building Services of Long Melford wins Local Authority Building Control regional Buiilding Excellence Award for Best Individual New Home, held at King's College, Cambridge and qualifies for the nationa finals. Left to right, Mark Cross, Darren Howard (Maple Director), Bex Howard (Maple QS), James Sheldrake, Dean PearceMaple Building Services of Long Melford wins Local Authority Building Control regional Buiilding Excellence Award for Best Individual New Home, held at King's College, Cambridge and qualifies for the nationa finals. Left to right, Mark Cross, Darren Howard (Maple Director), Bex Howard (Maple QS), James Sheldrake, Dean Pearce (Image: Maple Building Services)

“I will probably never build another one like it.

“The owners had a site with an old bungalow, with permission to replace it. But the plans were pretty dull.

“They came to me, and I suggested they speak to Dean Pearce about a new design, we often work closely together.”

“He came up with a design which reflected their wishes.

“We have never done something like this before.

“It has a Georgian style front with traditional features like Flemish bond and bow brick work.

“At the back it is ultra-modern with aluminium glazed windows and it has solar slates.

“It is so perfect, it looks false.

“Perhaps it is why it stood out for the judges.

“We have won LABC awards before, includingvb Most Consistent Builder, but this is the one everyone wants to win, for best individual new home.

“We are very pleased and proud.”

The winning regional award winners now go for judging in the national finals, with the winners announced later in the year.