Category finalists

CATEGORY WINNER: Castle Quay Bedford, Bedford Borough Council & Complex Development Project
Castle Lane contains the remains of the inner bailey walls of Bedford’s former castle and an ancient limekiln. However, despite its historical significance the area came to be used as a surface car park after it was cleared over 40 years ago for a redevelopment that never happened. In 2004 the council released the land for development on the understanding that the scheme would consolidate the area as Bedford’s cultural quarter, protect its heritage and give it a new economic raison d’etre. The result is the newly rebranded Castle Quay Bedford development.

LCB Depot by LCB Depot, Leicester
Leicester Creative Business Depot provides workspace for small creative businesses and was conceived as a response to the decline in recent years of Leicester’s traditional industries. It is the first building erected in the St George’s area of the city, Leicester’s cultural quarter, and now supports a thriving arts and creative industries scene. The success of the LCB Depot has prompted the council to support plans for additional creative industries workspace in the area.

Living Here: West of the Exe, Exeter City Council
Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum used the two-year closure of its building for refurbishment to reconfigure the way it works within the local community. With Exeter City Council, it launched Living Here, a local heritage programme targeted at four deprived and geographically isolated wards located outside of the city walls. Using a variety of media, such as the internet and exhibitions, Living Here enabled residents to research and discuss their local history, contributing to a sense of pride in their area.

War Shelter Project by Brixham Battery Heritage Group
Brixham Battery Heritage Group was established by local people in 2000 to conserve the remains of the an historic gun battery dating back to the 16th century. Since its inception, the group has successfully lobbied for the site to be listed as an ancient monument. It has also won lottery funding for a refurbishment project and to create an archive building that functions as an educational resource on the site.