Magenta Court wins at LABC Grand Finals 2021!

Really thrilled to announce that Magenta Court, Hemel Hempstead won Best Small Social Housing Development at the LABC Awards Grand Finals 2021! We were pleased to be at this ‘live’ event in London to celebrate the best in People and Places!

The social housing development of 29 apartments in Apsley Lock celebrates not only great design and build standards but teamwork, and best practice. The canalside project in Hemel Hempstead comprises 29 one- and two-bedroom flats, all for social rent. Sited next to the historic Apsley Paper Mill, the design of this development is sympathetic to the neighbouring 1800s buildings. Providing modern and energy-efficient homes for residents.

The judges considered the development was situated on a tightly constrained brownfield site, previously forming part of the Apsley Mill, next to the Grand Union Canal. Numerous challenges included culverts, a 4.5m site gradient, ground water abstraction boreholes, existing substation, vehicle access restrictions, and neighbouring historic buildings. The proposed development was traditionally built, designed to reflect the neighbouring canal/wharf architecture and with robust materials chosen to ensure high performance and low maintenance costs for residents. Hertfordshire Building Control were consulted from the outset of this scheme to minimise disruption to the project.

Mark Doyle, Jarvis Contracting CEO, said,

“Anyone associated with the Magenta Court project can only feel an enormous sense of pride. The scheme was deceptively challenging because of multiple and significant issues below ground. I am full of admiration for Dacorum Borough Council for remaining committed to this development. Also for not compromising on the design, which complements and completes a very charming wider estate, whilst using land that has been an eyesore for many years. The quality of this new development is exceptional and will provide much-needed new homes to very happy local families.”

To win this national award and be up against 6 other great projects around the country was a fantastic achievement! Congratulations to Dacorum Borough Council,  Jarvis Group, RG+P Architects, John Lester Partnership, Site Inspector Potter Raper, Health & Safety – John Rowan and Partners and all of the project team at Magenta Court.

Congratulating the team, Lorna Stimpson, LABC Chief Executive said,

“These new style awards reflect LABC’s new focus on skills, quality and competency and reflect the best in construction from a technical perspective. On this project Hertfordshire Building Control were very responsive and flexible and the team used information on the LABC website and in the technical manual. Building control worked collaboratively to satisfy the various consents, licences and approvals needed form organisations such as the Environment Agency and the Canal and River Trust.”

Finalists

In addition, well done to our partners and sites that were finalists:

Finalist: Best Public Service or Educational Building
Avanti Meadows Primary School Bishops Stortford – Balfour Beatty, Architecture PLB, Mace, Hertfordshire County Council

 

 

Finalist: Best Residential Conversion or Alteration to an Existing Home
Windhill, Bishop’s Stortford – Marlin Design Ltd

 

 

 

Finalist: Best Partnership with a Local Authority Building Control Team
Marlin Design Ltd

 

Finally, we’re looking forward to nominating and celebrating the best sites and best construction people in Hertfordshire for next year! If you have a site you wish to nominate that was completed between Jan-Dec 2021 do get in touch.

View a full list of LABC Grand Finals Winners and Highly Commended 2021

Read about the LABC awards and entering