Following on from their success at the Surrey Building Control Awards, Waverley Borough Council has won an LABC Regional Award for Best Small Social Housing Development for Laurel Close, Godalming. One of the council’s Building Control team has also won the Public Service Superstar Regional Award.
These will both now go forward to the prestigious LABC Building Excellence National awards with a black-tie dinner in London on the 19 January 2024.
The largest business to business awards in the building control sector, the LABC South East Regional Building Excellence Awards promote the best of local authority building control services across the South of England.
Laurel Close, Godalming is a new development of 17, spacious, energy efficient, affordable homes. The homes are net zero carbon in operation, supporting the council’s aim to reduce carbon in materials used to deliver new homes and offer a distinctive, cul-de-sac scheme with high standards of construction. Each home promotes energy efficiency with triple A-rated double-glazed windows, alongside renewable and sustainable technology such as solar PV panels, wastewater heat recovery and LED lighting - all of which helps save energy and help reduce carbon. Smart meters help residents monitor and manage the energy used. The development includes swift bricks and bat boxes, fruit trees and pollinator-friendly planting in every garden.
The council’s Building Control Business Support Team Leader won the individual ‘Public Service Superstar Regional Award’. Their success was due, amongst other factors, to “high standards and acute attention to detail, providing leadership to the team and a responsive service delivery” as well as the officer being “an integral cog in the wheel of Waverley Building Control”.
Councillor Nick Palmer, Executive Portfolio Holder for Housing Delivery, said: “This is fantastic news. Laurel Close is a superb development and I am delighted that our Building Control Team has been nominated for this award. Laurel Close raises the bar for social housing design and construction. It is also an excellent example of joint working between Waverley’s housing and building control staff, architects, building contractors and the neighbouring community.”
Councillor Tony Fairclough, Executive Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Regulatory Services, added: “This is a great achievement and one that is well deserved by our hardworking team at Waverley. They do a sterling job monitoring developments and property alterations across the borough, ensuring their safety and sustainability for future residents.”
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