Awards
Buildings Awards Scheme – About the Awards
To promote a respect for historic buildings and a desire for visual enhancement within the City and District. The Awards Scheme covers work carried out in the past two years.
The Society’s Awards Scheme began in 1993, targeting either new buildings or work to existing buildings. In 1996 the format changed, with the two categories being looked at in alternate years.
NOMINATIONS for the 2024 Conservation Awards are now open, and should be forwarded to: Richard Deane, Secretary, Development Committee rdeane@madasafish.com – 07974140888
Conservation Awards Scheme is concerned with existing buildings. The aim is to recognise excellence in the treatment of buildings, or their settings, anywhere within the former Salisbury District Council area. ‘Conservation’ rather than ‘restoration’ is generally favoured. Repair, refurbishment, re-use through conversion, provided the new use is a suitable one, street enhancement, landscaping works, will all fall within the remit.
The Lady Radnor Award goes to the most outstanding of the Conservation Award winners. This award was created to commemorate many years service to historic buildings in the District by the Society’s former Patron.
New Buildings Awards Scheme held every odd year, will cover work carried out in the previous two years. The objective is to find new buildings with quality which sets them apart.
The Lord Congleton Award goes to the most outstanding of the New Buildings Award winners.
The Awards are granted by the Society to projects of outstanding merit.
Commendations are given for schemes whose impact is less dramatic, but which still deserve recognition.
Apart from this there is no division into places, and the judges can give as many or as few Awards or Commendations as they feel appropriate. Certificates, are presented at the Civic Society’s New Year’s Party, mainly to the clients, designers and contractors involved in a scheme.
Nominations are invited from Society members and the general public. The Salisbury Journal has always been helpful in running a piece a few months before the judging date, asking the community for suggestions. In 2002 one of the Award winners, Dinghams Cookshop in Salisbury, was the result of such a nomination.
The Rules Although the scheme itself has few rules, the Society does have one or two formally adopted policies, especially with regard to the Conservation Awards. These cover the use of traditional thatching materials, the retention of timber windows (non-timber replacement frames are disliked), extensions to cottages, and the safeguarding of traditional farm buildings. This policy states that residential conversion of large barns, particularly listed ones, is generally objectionable, but accepts that some other types of farm buildings can be the subject of successful conversions.
The Society makes no attempt to put any sort of cap on the number of successful schemes in any year, with the aim, as far as possible, to maintain from year to year the standard which needs to be reached for an Award or Commendation to be given.
The Awards Scheme is now a well established part of the Society’s work. It is much appreciated by those whose designs and projects gain recognition, and by the community in encouraging the enhancement of the built environment within the District.