The showpiece Winerack residential development on Ipswich Waterfront has won a prestigious award.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich property developer John Howard Picture: DAVID VINCENTIpswich property developer John Howard Picture: DAVID VINCENT

It picked up Best High Volume New Housing Development Award at the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) East Anglia Business Excellence Awards 2020.

Also celebrating its success is east of England property and construction consultancy Ingleton Wood, which project managed the £30m scheme, in conjunction with RG Carter construction and Ipswich Wharf Developments.

Ingleton Wood also won awards for a social housing development in Southwold and the redevelopment of Brentwood town hall.

The Winerack was a relic of the 2008 recession, towering over Ipswich Waterfront unfinished for almost a decade before property developer John Howard, director of Ipswich Wharf Developments, bought the semi-constructed site.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Bluebells affordable housing development in Reydon, near Southwold, won Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development Award for Ingleton Wood, Orbit Homes and Wellington Construction. Picture: GENESISThe Bluebells affordable housing development in Reydon, near Southwold, won Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development Award for Ingleton Wood, Orbit Homes and Wellington Construction. Picture: GENESIS (Image: Genesis)

Construction of the 150 apartments began in January 2018 and was completed in December 2019.

Mr Howard said: “We are delighted to have won the prestigious award alongside Ingleton Wood and R G Carter.

“We handpicked the team to develop The Winerack and they proved to be the right choices, completing the project not only on time but on budget.”

David Cresswell, partner at Ingleton Wood, which has offices across the east of England, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won a hat-trick of awards at the LABC East Anglia Business Excellence Awards 2020.

“This fantastic news should serve as a welcome boost to everyone involved in these successful landmark projects.”

Ingleton Wood shared success with Orbit Homes and Wellington Construction for the Bluebells affordable housing development in Reydon, near Southwold, which won the Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development Award.

It also shared Best Change of Use of an Existing Building Award after project managing a £9.5m redevelopment of Brentwood Town Hall with Brentwood council and Farrans Construction.

The homes, centred around a new village green, are a mixture of affordable rented (17) and shared ownership (six) and were built on a so-called ‘Exceptions Site’, meaning priority given to people who have a connection with Reydon and local parishes.

Paul Pitcher, managing director of Wellington Construction, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and serves as a great credit to our partnership work with Ingleton Wood, Orbit Homes, and everyone else involved in the Bluebells project.”

Ray Winney, Orbit Homes construction director in the East of England, said: “I am delighted that Orbit, in partnership with Wellington, have been announced as the winners of this prestigious LABC Regional Award. Since 2013, Orbit have built over 12,000 new affordable homes with our partners, ensuring each development provides quality housing that people can be proud to call home.”

Ingleton Wood also shared the Best Change of Use of an Existing Building Award after project managing a £9.5million redevelopment of Brentwood Town Hall with Brentwood Borough Council and Farrans Construction.

The LABC Regional Building Excellence Awards are the largest business to business awards in the UK.

Lorna Stimpson, chief executive of the LABC, said: “I firmly believe that one of the best ways to see more good work is to praise building excellence and publicly acknowledge companies, designers, site managers and trades people who go the extra mile because of the pride they have in their work.”

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