2024 Conservation Award

The Award seeks to recognise the best work carried out to Victorian and Edwardian buildings in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Previous winners are:

2015 - Hortons’ Estate Limited for the restoration and conservation of the façade of The Grand Hotel, Birmingham
2016 - Dudley Council for the restoration and conservation of the Dudley Fountain
2017 - The Trustees of Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre for the restoration of Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre, Small Heath, Birmingham
2018 - West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust for the restoration of Lye & Wollescote Cemetery Chapels, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2019 - Sandwell Council for the restoration and conservation of Smethwick Council House
2020 - Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd for the restoration and conservation of the former Little London School
2021 - Midlands Industrial Association Limited for the restoration and conservation of Argent Centre
2022 - Birmingham City University for the restoration and conservation of the Eccles Building
2023 - MACC Group for the restoration and conservation of Tudor Grange, Solihull
2024 - To be announced in February 2025

The 2024 Award is once again sponsored by Hortons’ Estate Limited and is our tenth Conservation Award.

The purpose of the award is to draw attention to the high quality conservation work done by architects and other groups across the region. Nominations can be submitted until 31st December with the winner announced at our AGM in February 2025.

1) The award shall relate to a single building or a group of buildings or structures and covers renovation or conservation to a new or original use when the original date of the building or substantial alteration/additions are between 1837 and 1914.

2) The award shall only be for buildings within the remit of the Birmingham & West Midlands Group, which includes West Midlands Metropolitan Area: Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton; and also Warwick District including Leamington; Redditch and Bromsgrove.

3) Nominations are to be submitted on the official Form to the Casework Committee to consider and recommend to the Executive of the Group. The Form can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this page.

4) The criteria for consideration should not be too prescriptive, but rather in spirit, taking into consideration the care, conservation and adaptive re-use of a building of the period and in the geographic area.

5) Nominations should explain the holistic approach to the conservation/restoration task and may include conservation of fragile or delicate aspects of the building, subtle solutions to structural problems or careful adaptation to meet current needs, and including appropriate building materials to enhance the ultimate appearance of the building. At all times original fabric must be retained, the considerable loss of which, through the project nomination, would disqualify the project.

6) If a project was deemed sufficiently unfinished, it may be rejected but would be eligible for re-submission upon completion.

7) If a project was unsuccessful in one year, it may be re-submitted again in subsequent years, for up to 3 years, and thereafter will be disqualified on the basis that it had been submitted on three occasions.

8) The winner receives an illuminated Certificate, signed by the Chairman of the Group, The Secretary of the Group and the Chairman of the Casework Committee and an 18” bronze disc recording the name of the winner and the year, for display on or in the building, subject to any necessary planning consents.

9) There is no financial reward.

If you require further details, please contact our Honorary Secretary, Akil Dowe (see Contacts) or download and complete the Nomination Form.

Nomination Form: Conservation Award Nomination Form

Timetable:

31st December 2024 – Deadline for Nominations

January 2025 – Casework Committee considers the nominations and makes recommendation to WM Group Executive

February 2025 – WM Group Executive approve Award

February 2025 – Winner announced at AGM