Civic Trust Award for Shaddon Mill: 2008

Feb 2008

Shaddon Mill, Story Homes’ flagship development, was the only scheme representing Cumbria in the Civic Trust Awards for 2008. Indeed, from the 100 or so short-listed buildings, less than 10% have come from Cumbria/north east/south Scotland regions, highlighting the outstanding contribution the mill has brought to the area. Sitting alongside an impressive line-up, carefully selected from over 400 entries, Shaddon Mill added to its award winning status at a celebratory dinner on 12th March in Newcastle. Hot on the heels of the Civic Trust Awards, the Mill has been short listed for a 2008 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) North West Award.

The region’s awards received more entries this year than other parts of the UK, organisers said.

The development will compete with 46 other north west schemes at a gala dinner at Liverpool’s Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) hosted by newsreader Peter Sissons on May 16. The awards recognise the best new projects in the built and natural environment, celebrate rural and urban regeneration and reward organisations and individuals developing and conserving the environment.

Story’s have worked with renowned local chartered architects, Unwin Jones Partnership (UJP), on the successful conversion of the mill to 58 luxury apartments.

Fred commented: ‘The conversion of Shaddon Mill has been an extremely successful one. The design was developed in consultation with many interested parties but the result is not a compromise. It has received plaudits from many different organisations and is regarded as both sensitive and radical; to be short-listed for these prestigious Awards fully acknowledges this accolade.’

Jez Marvin, UJP, added: ‘When we started looking at the conversion of the building it was clear that the secret to its success would be not what we would do, but what we wouldn’t do. The building was already a beautiful building and it was agreed that the changes should be the minimum required to form the new apartments. It was also agreed that any new elements to the building should be clearly identifiable as such, to retain the importance of the building’s historic fabric. This approach allowed many apartments to retain the brick arched ceilings, external sandstone walls and cast iron columns from the original mill.’