A Nottingham building site was the fitting venue for the regional awards as winners and guests reported improving market sentiment. By Lisa Pilkington
This year’s East Midlands awards and reception was an historic occasion, as it was the first time that Estates Gazette had held such an event on a “live” building site.
The EG reception was held alongside UK Regeneration’s inaugural Re:Fest regeneration seminar at Nottingham’s Sandfields site in Lenton, which is piloting UKR’s private rented housing model.
Guests crowded into the awards “suite” on the soon to be redeveloped site (the contractors had yet to move into the building – so thankfully no hard hats or PPE were required!).
As the drinks flowed it was encouraging to hear how market sentiment is really starting to pick up. There was extra reason to celebrate for the winners of our two East Midlands awards. Lowbridge (Derby) took home the Property Company of the Year award for building Derby city centre’s first speculative office building in more than 25 years – – in partnership with Derby city council. This was a brave shout in a tough market and Lowbridge is now pushing forward with the second, larger and again speculative phase of the scheme.
And there were happy faces in the Jones Lang LaSalle camp, when the national agent picked up the Property Adviser of the Year gong for having transacted the most floorspace proportionate to sector.
Congratulations also went to the runners-up in the adviser category: Innes England (2nd) and FHP (3rd).
