Vote for your favourite Solent quality place!

Do you think Northam Homezone in Southampton is a great design bringing real benefits to the locality?  How do the Nelson Trail enhancements contribute to Old Portsmouth?  What do you think about the new studio at The Point?  Or the redevelopment of Flagstaff Green in Gosport?

These are just a few of the shortlisted entries for the Solent Design Awards, and from 15 September to 15 October you can vote on the best place or building to be the community ‘champion’.

The new Solent Design Awards aim to track down buildings or spaces not just excellently designed but which add value to the community in which they are located. An expert judging panel will be picking their overall quality places winners, BUT it’s the public who can vote for what they see as the popular choice.

Sponsored by the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), the awards are being organised by The Solent Centre for Architecture and Design (SCA+D).  Chief Executive of SCA+D, Paul Grover, has been very impressed with the quality of the submissions. “We really wanted to try to break new ground with this competition. There are plenty of schemes which concentrate solely on design without looking at just how that design has truly added value to the people who matter – those who have to use it or have to live with it.  He welcomes the entries from places rather than just buildings as he feels that reflects the true aim.

“We’ll be looking forward to the public verdict – will it be different to the experts, and what values for future design will that add?” he asks.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 27th October, sponsored by Warings.

Vote today – just go to www.solentdesignawards.org.uk and follow the directions on screen to cast your vote.