Designs that are making a difference to lives and local communities have been celebrated at this year’s Leeds Architecture Awards. Awards were presented in five main categories – new buildings (up to £10m in value), new buildings (more than £10m in value), adapted buildings, cultural projects and public realm & landscape. The respective category winners were Maggie’s Yorkshire Centre, the University of Leeds’s Sir William Henry Bragg Building, Opera North’s Music Works, Leeds Playhouse and Moortown Park. The Heatherwick Studio design team that worked on Maggie’s – a cancer support centre in the grounds of St James’s Hospital – had double cause for celebration as it also received the evening’s top prize, project of the year. A cheque for £1,000 was also presented in support of the work of the Maggie’s charity. The roll-call of winners was completed by 11 & 12 Wellington Place, which was given a special sustainability award. Guests at the ceremony heard from speakers including Councillor Helen Hayden, the council’s executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure. The three award judges – renowned architects Natalia Maximova, Robert Evans and Charles Campion – also took part in a panel discussion with event host Andrew Edwards. This year’s awards were the first to have been held since 2019, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin Hamilton, director of Leeds Civic Trust, said: “I know the judges thought long and hard before choosing the winners – this reflected the incredibly high quality of entries this year. Leeds Civic Trust champions high quality architectural design, and there is no doubt that this year’s competition displayed these qualities in abundance. “I was particularly pleased that this year’s competition found time to pay tribute to Mark Finch who, as director of real estate at Rushbond PLC, led the regeneration of some of the city’s most iconic buildings, including two on the shortlist for this competition – the First White Cloth Hall and the Majestic. “Mark sadly passed away earlier this year but it is hoped that his memory will live on through a prize at future awards ceremonies.”

Children’s service provider Polaris has swooped to purchase the iconic Grade II listed Moorfield House building in Headingley, to transform it into a special educational needs school.

The unique opportunity to acquire approximately 20,000 sq ft on a 1.5-acre site will allow Polaris to cater for up to 80 students, in addition to the eight schools already up and running across the UK.

Strategic property advisers, Fox Lloyd Jones handled the sale of Moorfield House which comprises an attractive Grade II listed building across four floors, with the property retaining several period features including high ceilings, stone archways and a grand staircase. A single storey extension, known as the Brahm Building, provides further, ready-to-go accommodation.

The property offers a rich history, originally built around 1855 before becoming a Missionary College in 1936. Throughout the war years it is thought to have been used as a wartime administration office by the Royal Air Force, then as regional offices for the Automobile Association (AA). In recent years the building was occupied by marketing agency Brass (formerly Brahm) and acquired by Illuminating Investments in early 2020, before being purchased by Polaris.

Situated in a peaceful setting just off Otley Road (A660), the area is perfectly positioned for a school environment with large open spaces and a number of amenities in touching distance.

Polaris supports children and young people with additional needs, by helping provide them with the best tailored, diverse and appropriate education in a safe and supportive environment.

Harry Finney, associate director for Fox Lloyd Jones, said: “We’re really pleased to have successfully completed the sale of both Moorfield House and the Brahm Building to a user who is committed to restoring Moorfield House and will be using the wider site to its full potential.

“Moorfield House was a rare freehold opportunity and attracted significant interest from a diverse range of end users. We’re looking forward to seeing how the Polaris team transform the building into an educational space that will benefit the wider community.”

Loren Cahill, project manager for Polaris, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with the acquisition of Moorfield House and Brahm Building in Headingley. With this remarkable space, we are poised to provide the best outcomes for young people, offering a supportive and empowering environment to learn, grow, and thrive. We cannot wait to open the doors to Ormston School and witness the positive impact we will undoubtedly make in the lives of these promising young individuals.”

Fox Lloyd Jones & Carter Towler were appointed as the joint disposal agents.

Plans for a new residential development in a North Yorkshire village have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council for review. Regional housebuilder Banks Homes is looking to develop a site to the east of Gateforth Lane in Hambleton, which has been identified as a proposed housing allocation in the emerging Selby Local Plan. The development would include 65 private and affordable homes of different sizes and types, including bungalows, and would see an electric vehicle charging point installed at every new home. If the development goes ahead, more than 30 jobs would be directly supported during its construction, with a further 45 jobs indirectly supported by the project. A range of contract opportunities would also be made available to businesses in the surrounding area in line with Banks’ longstanding policy of using local suppliers wherever possible. New wildlife habitats would be created around the development to encourage and enhance local biodiversity, along with areas of public open space. Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, says: “This site has been identified as suitable for housing in the emerging Selby Local Plan and would help to meet the clear and increasingly pressing need to increase the supply of quality homes in the area. “The number of nearby services and amenities and the ease of access to larger town centres via public transport makes it a wholly-suitable location for development, while the provision of private and affordable homes will give more local people and families a greater opportunity to stay in the village. “We are very pleased to be reaching this key stage of the planning process and hope the members of North Yorkshire Council’s planning committee will look favourably on this high-quality development when it comes before them.”

Businesses and tradespeople from across Sheffield are bringing a Grade II* Listed former Little Mesters workshop back to life in the true spirit of its original occupants. RF Joinery, together with a trusted local supply chain, is carrying out transformative work on the historic Leah’s Yard in Sheffield City Centre. Leah’s Yard dates to the early 19th century and was once home to up to 18 Little Mesters workshops producing the finest cutlery, handles and silver stampers that helped to put Sheffield on the worldwide map. Now, as part of the £470m Heart of the City masterplan, the complex is being redeveloped with its original cobbled central courtyard surrounded by small boutique retail units. The first and second floors will host around 20 independent working studios bringing the building’s rich heritage back to life. Working on the historic project, together with new business opportunities arising from the prestigious appointment, has also been transformational for Sheffield-based RF Joinery. The business, which was founded in 2007, has seen turnover leap from under £1m to £6m. Initially, RF Joinery was appointed to bring the Cambridge Street building back to a safe and viable condition. This included structural work, roofing, repointing and new windows throughout. The business was then extended to complete the final phase of the project. “As a local SME contractor, the Leah’s Yard project has had a huge impact on our business,” said Director Paul Roberts, who runs the firm with business partner Ray Fowler. “We’ve delivered specialist public sector projects in the past such as re-roofing work at Sheffield’s Kelham Island Museum over the working steam engine. We’ve got a love for interesting projects and our unique expertise helped us win a very competitive contract process. “We have built up a team of multi-skilled people who are all so passionate about the project. “As a small, dedicated team, we can stay very flexible and provide real continuity on site, which is so important on these kinds of restoration projects. Heart of the City has been a game changer for us and taken us to a new level. We are thankful to Sheffield City Council for giving us the opportunity.” Seen as a key social and cultural anchor in Heart of the City – led by Sheffield City Council and its Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry, Leah’s Yard will also feature a complementary new-build structure to the southern side of the development, greatly improving pedestrian access. The sympathetic extension includes a sloped ramp for wheelchair and pram users, lift access and modern accessible toilet facilities that couldn’t be incorporated in the old building. Also working on the project is Masterfit based in Walkley. Together with RF Joinery they’ve installed 100 different types of heritage windows and even had to make special tooling to do the job. A staggering total of 2,500 panels of glass were hand-putty pointed using traditional linseed oil putty by the in house RFJ skilled team. Paul Roberts added: “Timber that was functionally sound had to be kept, regardless of appearance, and all but one of the five roofs re-uses the original roof trusses. “We even had to make one new truss on site but have reused all the previous bolts and bracketry. It looks brand new, but the bolts are centuries old. “The cobbles in the courtyard had to be removed one by one and the ground raised up, before all being re-laid again, providing improved level access whilst retaining the original historic values. “With a building like this, new problems and challenges occur every day. It has been almost a daily negotiation between the structural engineer and the conservation team – ensuring we find the balance between the heritage and character, versus modern building regulations.” Cllr Ben Miskell from Sheffield City Council believes the work of RF Joinery and their trusted supply chain of SMEs has been a real local effort and reflects the ethos of Leah’s Yard as a former Little Mesters space. “This is one of the reasons we invested in Heart of the City,” said Cllr Miskell. “Leah’s Yard brings the city’s rich history back to life and will be a stunning addition. But the impact goes beyond the aesthetic. Heart of the City is helping to stimulate economic activity in the region and helping companies like RF Joinery grow its supply chain and secure its future. “Leah’s Yard is a unique scheme which reflects Sheffield’s identity. It’s a fascinating blend of creativity, heritage, and historic and modern craftsmanship.” Once completed in the first half of 2024, the venue will be run by Tom Wolfenden, who manages the Cooper Buildings on Arundel Street, and James O’Hara, who runs acclaimed bars such as Public and Picture House Social. The duo plan to breathe new life into the site by transforming it into an experience-led destination for local independent retailers and businesses, creative workshops and social events. A bustling central public courtyard will be surrounded by small boutique shops, while the first and second floors will host around 20 independent working studios.