Celebrating National Success for Hertfordshire Building Control
Friday night marked a standout moment for Hertfordshire Building Control (HBC) as we attended the Local Authority Building Control Grand Finals at the iconic Grosvenor Hotel on Park Lane.
The LABC Building Excellence Awards have long been established as the premier accolades within the industry, recognising the companies and individuals that demonstrate a commitment to competence, quality and standards in delivering safe and sustainable buildings for the communities we live and work in. With a packed room, a brilliant atmosphere and a strong Hertfordshire presence, it was an evening full of pride, recognition and well-deserved applause.
Lorna Stimpson, CEO at LABC, said:
“True excellence is based on a demonstrable commitment to competence, quality and standards, which are the foundations of our awards. Our ‘people’ awards, which focus on the professionals in our industry, are particularly important, and reward those with the right cultures, drive, ethics, and professionalism. Rewarding excellence, competence and culture is about differentiating the good from the bad, and we hope this will help to drive out the poor standards and behaviours of some actors within the industry”
As the construction industry continues to go through instrumental change, the LABC awards recognise the individuals that demonstrate an ongoing commitment to competence, quality, standards and continuous learning. The awards are judged by an independent panel of judges who bring together a wealth of experience in the sector. Judges for 2025 included Graham Watts, Construction Industry Council (CIC), Ros Thorpe, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Eddie Weir, Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), Nick Coombe, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Jon Vanstone, Industry Competence Committee (ICC), and David Swigciski, LABC Warranty.
A range of categories highlighted the diverse portfolio of projects delivered within the industry alongside the project teams that are committed to delivering compliant and high-quality buildings for our communities.
To find out more, visit the LABC website: www.labc.co.uk/awards
Two National Winners for Hertfordshire
We were thrilled to see Hertfordshire talent recognised at the very highest level, taking home two national awards on the night.
Best Newcomer – Tom Crouch
After securing the Central Regional Newcomer of the Year title, Tom went on to be crowned National Best Newcomer! An incredible achievement and a moment that had the whole HBC table cheering.
Tom’s journey into building control is anything but conventional! His calm professionalism, technical capability and commitment to public safety have already marked him out as someone special within the profession. Seeing his hard work recognised on a national stage was a proud moment for the entire HBC and Broste Rivers Group team.
Read more about Tom’s journey in building control.
Best Designer – Matthew Noades, Noades Architects
Also claiming a national title was Matthew Noades, who won Best Designer following his regional success. Matthew’s work continues to demonstrate exceptional quality and attention to detail.
Highly Commended: SPECTRA Building
The celebrations didn’t stop there. The SPECTRA Building received a Highly Commended award in the Non-Residential New Build category.
Delivered in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire, Morgan Sindall Construction and Holmes Miller, SPECTRA is a standout project. It showcases innovation, teamwork and technical excellence. Being recognised at national level is a testament to the strength of partnership and shared commitment to quality across the project team.
More Than Awards
While the trophies were a highlight, the evening itself was about much more than winning. The LABC Grand Finals are a powerful reminder of what the industry achieves when regulators, designers, builders and clients work together with a shared focus on safety, compliance and quality. It was also a pleasure to be in the room with so many regional finalists who had already achieved something special by reaching the national stage. Those conversations, celebrations and shared experiences are what make nights like this so valuable. We are proud of everyone involved and grateful to the partners, designers and builders who continue to work with us to deliver safe, high-quality buildings for our communities.
Congratulations once again to Tom Crouch. It was a night to remember – and one that reflects the very best of building control in action.
