CCG shortlisted for RICS NI Awards 2018

The Connswater Community Greenway project is one of two east Belfast building projects which have been shortlisted in the prestigious RICS Northern Ireland Awards 2018.

The annual awards recognise exemplary built projects, and the teams behind them, that contribute positively to Northern Ireland and this year the awards have seen the highest number of entries in their 28 year history.

The Connswater Community Greenway, which was completed in 2017, has been shortlisted in both the Community Benefit and Infrastructure categories, while the new £28m Titanic Hotel is in the running for awards in both the Building Conservation and Tourism and Leisure categories.

The £33m Connswater Community Greenway and East Belfast Flood Alleviation Scheme has made a massive contribution to the lives of residents and visitors to the area, improving life chances and biodiversity and creating healthier communities while catalysing regeneration and community cohesion.

Those which worked on the Greenway project included surveyors from Belfast City Council, architectural firm Paul Hogarth and Farrans Construction.

The Titanic Hotel, which opened last September, saw the Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices and  headquarters building restored to the highest standards. As the jewel in the crown of the heritage assets on Queen’s Island, it is the centrepiece for a heritage areas which attracts tourists from around the world.

The hotel is aiming to attract 35,000 staying visitors a year and employs 75 full time equivalent staff.

Sammon Surveyors and RMI Architects carried out the project with Abercorn Construction.

The local projects join 33 other building projects from across Northern Ireland at the RICS Awards 2018, which will be held at The La Mon Hotel & Spa, Belfast on 24 May.

A wide variety of projects have been shortlisted across the eight categories of the awards scheme – Building Conservation, Commercial sponsored by Sika, Community Benefit, Design through Innovation sponsored by Forbo, Infrastructure, Regeneration, Residential and Tourism and Leisure.

All category winners will go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final in London in November 2018.

The winners of each category will also be in with a chance of winning the top prize, the highly esteemed Project of the Year title, presented to the scheme which demonstrates overall outstanding best practice and an exemplary commitment to adding value to its local area.

Michael Hannaway, Chair of the RICS Awards Northern Ireland judging panel, said: “Despite the uncertainty in the current climate, Northern Ireland’s property professionals continue to deliver exemplary, and in many cases, world-class built projects that are having a profoundly positive impact.

“I am delighted to see so many of these remarkable built initiatives on this year’s shortlist for the 2018 RICS Awards, Northern Ireland. The exceptional talent and skills of the teams and surveyors behind these schemes is nothing short of remarkable, and I wish them all the best of luck in gaining the recognition they deserve for ensuring their local communities remain fantastic places to live, work, and visit.”

For further information visit www.rics.org/awards