< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk THE EAST MIDLANDS BRICKS AWARDS Property and construction professionals from across the region gathered on Thursday 3rd October at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground for Business Link Magazine’s annual East Midlands Bricks Awards. Recognising and celebrating those behind the changing landscape of our region, rewarding the very best companies, teams and individuals, the event offered the perfect opportunity to showcase the outstanding work carried out across the East Midlands over the past year and network with many of the region’s industry leaders over nibbles and complementary drinks. Attendees heard from Paul Southby – chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire – who kicked off the event with the keynote speech, touching on devolution, constraints being faced by property and construction businesses, issues in regional confidence, and reasons to be optimistic about the East Midlands’ future. Paul concluded his speech by saying: “My hope for you is that our politicians will work as hard as they can to support the growth environment that you all work in, that you are all a part of, so that at last we can really start to tear down…the barriers to growth that stand in the way of progress…so that you can get on with doing what you’re good at, which is developing, designing and building stuff to underpin the economic evolution of our region.” The first award of the evening was ‘Responsible Business of the Year’, sponsored by Press For Attention PR. Honourable mentions for the category included Cawarden and Cora. The ultimate winner, however, was revealed as Stepnell Ltd. Tom Sewell, regional director at Stepnell, said: “Winning the Responsible Business award is a testament to our ongoing efforts as a complete construction partner – considering every way we can maximise value at each stage of the build cycle. Our projects are deeply rooted in delivering social value, from supporting local employment, collaborating with schools and colleges, engaging with communities and implementing lasting sustainable methods of construction. We consistently leave a positive impact on projects and we’re proud to see this contribution recognised by our peers in the East Midlands.” Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, added: “As many will know, I’m a former business journalist myself (before I turned to the ‘Dark side of the Force’) so when I’m on a judging panel I can be more than a tad cynical and I’m particularly keen to see tangible proof of claims and results. All three finalists were great on this and were clearly genuinely committed to being a force for good through their businesses where possible. However, there can only be one winner and Stepnell has been making major efforts that have really paid off - not just for them, not just for profit but for people and the planet and with purpose.” The ‘Deal of the Year’ award, sponsored by Tutum Consulting, followed, for which the finalists were FI Real Estate Management (for The Quad, Chesterfield deal) and Freeths (for the former Boots factory site, Beeston, deal). Ultimately heb Surveyors won the award for their The Oaks, Winners revealed: The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 With the East Midlands Bricks Awards complete for another year, it is time to reflect on the glittering event and reveal the winners. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link THE EAST MIDLANDS BRICKS AWARDS Mansfield deal. Robert Maxey, partner, heb Surveyors, said: “It was a genuine surprise to receive the award, because the other nominees were so strong in the category. It was extremely pleasing however, and it was great to see recognition of the whole team’s efforts throughout the process. I am genuinely looking forward to driving past the site over the months to come, and seeing much needed family housing being delivered for the people of Mansfield on what has been a problem site for the locals.” Tutum Consulting added: “At Tutum Consulting, we were thrilled to sponsor the Deal of the Year at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024. As a small organisation, we understand the immense time, effort, and passion that goes into putting a deal together. It’s not just about business—it’s about having a team fully engaged in making a positive difference through every project, for their client. As sponsors of the Deal of the Year, we were honoured to be championing those projects and deals that represent the core values of the construction industry— collaboration, perseverance, and a commitment to quality. Huge congratulations to heb Surveyors for their work on The Oaks in Mansfield project and to all the shortlisted finalists for their contribution in changing the landscape of the East Midlands region. A huge thank you to Business Link for putting on the Bricks Awards which truly showcases the achievements of the East Midlands construction community.” The third award of the night was ‘Residential Development of the Year’, sponsored by Devello. Runners up were Phoenix Brickwork UK LTD (for IQ Nelson Court) and Chevin Homes (for Chevin Close). The winner of the category was Distinctive Developments for Woodwell and Meadow Barn. Richard Evans of Distinctive Developments said: “Winning the Bricks award for our Woodwell and Meadow Barn project is a huge honour for the Distinctive Developments team. This project truly reflects our passion for blending traditional design with sustainability. Turning a steel barn into two beautiful farmstead homes, we’ve used local materials and eco-friendly features to create homes that fit perfectly into the Rutland countryside, while still offering modern luxury. We’re so grateful to the judges for recognizing our hard work and commitment to quality design and craftsmanship. What a super event as well for networking and business connections, thankyou Business Link.” Shruti Trivedi, Managing Director at niche property and planning law firm Devello, added: “It was a pleasure being associated with the Bricks Contractor of the Year - Darren Chapman and Ed Tripp 32 Á Deal of the Year - Robert Maxey and Simon Prescott Most Active Agent - Lisa Osborne-Biesty and Alex Edmeades Residential Development of the Year - Jo Plant, Jonathan Plant, Richard Evans, Iain Hibbert Sustainable Development of the Year - Clare Swaine, Ian Taylor, John McKay East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk THE EAST MIDLANDS BRICKS AWARDS Awards and to be both sponsors and judges amid other notable local businesses. As a new company ourselves set up with a vision of providing outstanding client service in a forward-thinking, innovative manner, the Bricks Awards epitomise our ethos by acknowledging and rewarding those who make a notable contribution and deliver results that are exceptional.” Next up was the ‘Sustainable Development of the Year’ award, sponsored by Viridis Building Services. Runners up were CPMG (for the Sir Peter Rubin Centre for Veterinary Education) and Keepmoat (for Gedling Green). The winner of the category, however, was Henry Brothers Construction Ltd for Alfreton Park School. Henry Brothers Construction said: “We were absolutely thrilled to pick up the award for Sustainable Development at the East Midlands Bricks. Alfreton Park School was a very special project to us, we really enjoyed our engagement with the pupils and fundraising activities and hopefully this will have a lasting impact on the local communities. We are so pleased that this was recognised by the judges. It was great to attend such an informal and relaxed networking & awards evening hosted by East Midlands Business Link.” John McCay of Viridis Building Services added: “It was great to see such a wide range of quality submissions and worthy winners across all categories. We chose ‘Henry Brothers Construction Ltd - Alfreton Park School’ for the winners of the Sustainability award because of the sustainable techniques used on the building and the future proofing with the opportunity for PV in the future, but what really stood out was the social impact this has had on the area as well and the improvement to those using the space in terms of their health and wellbeing. It was clear this project was about helping the community more than anything due to the charity event held to raise money which further improved the site with the Deer Shed. All this clearly helps the students gain real life experience as well as creating a place they will enjoy being at – which has a wider positive impact on the area and will hopefully bring more people to enrol into the school as well.” ‘Contractor of the Year’, sponsored by EMEC Ecology, followed. Clegg Construction scooped the award, beating out stiff competition from Cawarden and Winvic. Michael Sims, Managing Director at Clegg Construction, said: “Clegg is a 92- year-old company whose head office has been based in Nottingham city centre for over 25 years, and we are so proud to have been recognised at this year’s Bricks Awards for our contributions to the built environment in the East Midlands region. We dedicate this award to our teams and partners, whose unwavering commitment to delivering an exceptional service on each of the projects we deliver is fundamental to the company’s continued success.” Dr Edward Tripp, consultancy director, EMEC Ecology, added: “EMEC was immensely proud to sponsor and judge the Contractor of the Year award at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024. The calibre of entries was outstanding, but Clegg Construction truly stood out with their open, customer-focused approach and unwavering dedication to exceeding client expectations.” The next award was ‘Excellence in Design’, sponsored by Cawarden. The runners up for this award included G F Tomlinson (for The Air and Space Institute, Newark) and Design Haus (for Musters Road). It was Distinctive Developments, however, that stole the award, for Woodwell and Meadow Barn. William Crooks, Managing Director at Cawarden, said: “We were delighted to attend this year’s East Midlands Bricks Awards as finalists and Excellence in Design – Jo Plant, Jonathan Plant, Richard Evans, William Crooks Developer of the Year - Mark Macmanard, Ryan Pritchard, Conor Garvey Architects of the Year – Steve Fisher and Amy Biddell Responsible Business of the Year - Richard Varney and Greg Simpsonwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link THE EAST MIDLANDS BRICKS AWARDS sponsors of the Excellence in Design category, supporting the celebration of our industry’s achievements. While we didn’t take home any trophies, we were honoured to be recognized as finalists in two categories. It was an excellent opportunity to witness the impressive accomplishments within our industry, where the talent and innovation showcased were genuinely inspiring. The East Midlands Bricks Awards are always a pleasure to attend, with the vibrant atmosphere reflecting the hard work and dedication of Business Link.” The ‘Most Active Agent’ category followed, sponsored by Roy Geddes Bricks. While FHP Property Consultants and Salloway Property Consultants were honourable mentions, the award went to Rigby & Co. Russell Rigby of Rigby & Co said: “We absolutely love what we do at Rigby & Co, but it’s gratifying to get recognition from a part of the market which means most to us. The East Midlands Bricks Awards have a very credible and far- reaching reputation, and we are proud to be the recipient of this year’s award for Most Active Agent of the Year.” Next was the ‘Developer of the Year’ award, sponsored by IMA Architects. Indurent and Wavensmere Homes were named runners up for the category, which was ultimately won by Vistry Group East Midlands. Conor Garvey, associate land director at Vistry North East Midlands, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to win Developer of the Year at this year’s Bricks. The event was fantastic with a real buzz about it and gave us a great opportunity to meet fellow businesspeople from across the region. Being announced as the winner in our category was just the icing on the cake and a testament to the continued hard work by my colleagues throughout the business.” The ‘Commercial Development of the Year’ award, sponsored by Global HSE Group, followed. Finalists for the category included Brackley Property Developments (for The Dock Extension, Leicester) and Pick Everard (for Nottingham Central Library). The winner of the award, however, was G F Tomlinson, for The Air and Space Institute, Newark. G F Tomlinson said: “On behalf of the whole team at G F Tomlinson, we are absolutely delighted to have received a winning accolade for Commercial Development of the Year for our work on the Air and Space Institute in Newark, alongside being recognised as runner up for Excellence in Design. This prestigious award is testament to our hard-working colleagues and the collaborative working relationship fostered with our client, Lincoln College. We are proud to have jointly delivered such an iconic building that has truly helped to put Newark and the surrounding region firmly on the map.” Andrew Cooper, Managing Director at Global HSE Group, added: “It was our first time sponsoring the East Midlands Bricks Awards this year, and it was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the region’s property and construction industry. We sponsored the Commercial Development of the Year category, and must congratulate G F Tomlinson for their remarkable work on the Air and Space Institute in Newark. The networking gave us the chance to speak to a number of organisations and the innovative work they’ve carried out, and it really shone a spotlight on the wealth of talent within the region. We work nationwide but we’re very proud of our roots, and the opportunity to collaborate and engage with the local business community was too good to turn down. I’d highly recommend not only attending the event, but getting involved with sponsorship to really champion the exciting businesses and opportunities in the region.” The penultimate award of the evening was the ‘Architects of the Year’ award, sponsored by Mather Jamie. Finalists for the category were IMA Architects and Design Haus Architecture, with the winner named as Matthew Montague Architects. Matthew Montague Architects said: “Winning the Architects of the Year at the Bricks Awards for the second consecutive year is an incredibly rewarding achievement for us at Matthew Montague Architects, and we are truly delighted. This award not only enhances our visibility in the industry but also serves as a powerful endorsement of our team’s dedication and creativity. It fosters trust with potential clients and showcases our capability to deliver outstanding projects across various sectors.” Amy Biddell, director at Mather Jamie, said: “We are incredibly proud to have sponsored the Architect of the Year award at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024. Celebrating the creativity, innovation, and dedication that these architects bring to shaping our region’s landscape aligns perfectly with our own commitment to excellence. It was an honour to support and recognise the talent that is helping to build a sustainable future for the East Midlands.” The final award of the evening, sponsored by Blueprint Interiors, was ‘Overall Winner’, which was scooped by Distinctive Developments. Rachel Biddles, operations director at Blueprint Interiors, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have been involved as a sponsor at the East Midlands Bricks Awards for the past few years and to be part of an event that celebrates the remarkable achievements in the region’s development sector. The calibre of entries this year was extremely high, but Distinctive Developments stood out as our Overall Winner for 2024. The buzz on awards night and the networking opportunities are always second to none, and we look forward to seeing the Bricks event grow even further in the coming years.” The event closed with congratulations, and time for networking. Now that the Bricks is over for 2024, make sure to look out for information on the 2025 event. Commercial Development of the Year - Nick Pettit, Tim Hubner, Chris Sharman Overall Winner - Jo Plant, Jonathan Plant, Andy Sawyer, Richard EvansFIRE SAFETYIS OUR WHOLE BUSINESS Fire Engineers and Technical Fire Consultants specialising in fire safety engineering, compliance and fire risk management. Ensuring compliant and safe buildings through the delivery of comprehensive passive fire solutions, from the design stage to retrospective remedial works. Elevating professional knowledge and promoting best practice in the fire safety sector; accredited courses and recognised qualifications designed for all levels. 0115 989 9800 www.globalhsegroup.com sales@globalhsegroup.com Sustainability consultants, MEP engineers and smoke control specialists, delivering safe and sustainable solutions with every project.One of the UK’s leading Specialist Contractors. 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Devello Ltd 14 Regent Street, Nottingham, NG1 5BQ Tel: 0115 704 2501 • devellogroup.co.ukArchitecture, Masterplanning and Building Information Modelling (BIM) PROUD SPONSORS OF THE EAST MIDLANDS BRICKS AWARDS 2024 t:0116 278 1200 e:enquiries@ima-architects.co.uk a:Rose Way, Blaby, Leicester, LE8 4BY w:ima-architects.co.ukDelivering intelligent advice Director-led specialist land development and property consultancy 01509 233433 www.matherjamie.co.uk Established 1991A client and quality focussed Environmental Consultancy. We enable positive change in the natural world. Experts in ecology, biodiversity, land management and arboriculture. www.emec-ecology.co.uk mail@emec-ecology.co.uk 0115 964 4828 Arboriculture • BNG Ecological Surveys Habitat Management Land Management Next >