THE RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) has announced the shortlist for their 2019 awards, with three Gwent buildings making the cut.

The Llwyn Celyn restoration in Abergavenny, the AluK headquarters in Chepstow and Loftus Garden Village in Newport have all been shortlisted for awards.

Medieval hall-house Llwyn Celyn has been described by CADW as "the most at risk lived-in building in Wales".

It has been painstakingly restored as a 'landmark' for up to eight people. The traditional outbuildings have also been restored and given new community uses including interpretation in the Beast House, an adaptable event space in the Threshing Barn, and a bunkhouse in the Granary.

A wide programme of training and events were held during the restoration process.

The AluK UK headquarters in Chepstow is an example of manufacturing workplace development. The building sets a quality benchmark for future AluK developments whilst providing an excellent showcase for their products. Designed by Rio Architect’s, the new office provides a professional and dynamic public face to the company to greet their visitors before entering the new state of the art factory work space for the purposes of designing and producing aluminium door, window and curtain walling systems.

South Wales Argus:

(AluK UK headquarters)

The Loftus Garden Village development in Newport, with its Arts and Crafts style homes is forging the way to a redefinition of the landscape in Newport. Named after famously portrayed wartime factory worker ‘Ruby Loftus’, Loftus Garden Village has given a new lease of life to the former Pirelli Cable Factory site in Newport. The once neglected site, has been transformed into an inner city village of 250 new high quality homes.

Built on the former Pirelli Cable Factory site, this pioneering venture between Pobl, Newport City Homes, Welsh Government and Lovell is forging the way to a redefinition of the landscape in Newport, having been designed with the vision to create a place where people would aspire to live.

Overall, twenty-three of Wales’s most innovative and community beneficial property projects have captured the hearts of RICS judges and will now go on to compete in eight categories at this year’s awards ceremony in May.

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The eight categories for 2019 are; Building Conservation, Commercial, Community Benefit, Design through Innovation, Infrastructure, Regeneration, Residential and Tourism & Leisure.

All category winners go forth for the acclaimed Wales Project of the Year title, awarded to the scheme that demonstrates outstanding best practice and an exemplary commitment to adding value to its local area. Last year saw Swansea University led consortium SPECIFIC’s Active Classroom win the esteemed title.

The awards highlight the great talent involved in shaping the built environment in Wales for now and the future. This year’s shortlisted projects from across the region include Llwyn Celyn in Abergavenny; the BBC Cymru Wales Headquarters in Cardiff; the Menai Science Park, Anglesey; Loftus Garden Village, Newport; University of South Wales Sport Park, Pontypridd; and the Maes y Dderwen residential development in Wrexham. (The full shortlist is below)

South Wales Argus:

(Llwyn Celyn)

Chair of the RICS Awards 2019, Wales judging panel, Geraint Evans, said: “What’s great about the RICS Awards is that they celebrate and recognise the community impact that these shortlisted projects are having on their local communities, as well as the talent and collaboration of the teams behind them.

“Some of the shortlisted projects have helped to attract more visitors and inward investment, whilst others have provided much needed housing or vital services and infrastructure to their communities. The teams behind them should be extremely proud as many were delivered on time and within budget, and with sustainability at the heart, to ensure they are as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.”

All Wales winners go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final in November 2019, for the chance to be crowned the overall UK winner in their respective category.

The RICS Awards 2019, Wales, will be held on May 1st at The Exchange Hotel, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff. Tickets for the ceremony and black-tie dinner can be booked online at www.rics.org/walesawards.

South Wales Argus:

(Loftus Garden Village)

RICS Awards 2019, Wales Shortlist

Building Conservation

Coed y Bleiddiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog

Former Glyn Neath Gunpowder Works, Powys

Llwyn Celyn, Abergavenny

Commercial

AluK UK Headquarters, Chepstow

BBC Cymru Wales Headquarters, Cardiff

Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, Carmarthen

Menai Science Park, Anglesey

Community Benefit

Brecon Cultural Hub (Y Gaer), Brecon

Eastern Community Campus, Cardiff

St Fagans Redevelopment, Cardiff

University of South Wales – Sport Park, Pontypridd

Ysgol Cwm Brombil, Port Talbot

Design through Innovation

BBC Cymru Wales Headquarters, Cardiff

Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, Carmarthen

Coed Pella – Conwy County Borough Council Civi Offices, Colwyn Bay

Menai Science Park, Anglesey

Infrastructure

University Hospital Wales – Neonatal, Cardiff

University of South Wales – Sport Park, Pontypridd

West End Medical Centre, Colwyn Bay

Regeneration

Brecon Cultural Hub (Y Gaer), Brecon

Coed Pella – Conwy County Borough Council Offices, Conwy

Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea

Loftus Garden Village, Newport

Maes y Dderwen, Wrexham

Neath Port Talbot College Group 6th Form Academy Hub, Neath

Ty’r Orsaf, Port Talbot

West End Medical Centre, Colwyn Bay

Ysgol Cwm Brombil, Port Talbot

Residential

Augusta Bay, Llanelli

Bridge Street Exchange, Cardiff

Loftus Garden Village, Newport

Maes y Dderwen, Wrexham

Priory Gardens, Ewenny

Tourism & Leisure

Coed y Bleiddiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog

Former Glyn Neath Gunpowder Works, Powys

Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea

Llwyn Celyn, Abergavenny