The prestigious annual award ceremony was held at the National Railway Museum in York on Friday 15th May and celebrates inspirational initiatives in the land, property and construction sectors.

This is Jefferson Sheard’s fourth win in the RICS Awards. Landmark projects such as the Old Mill Lane Campus for Barnsley College, South Cheshire College and Manchester Transport Interchange are all past winners.

The Acre Mills project entailed the £14m conservation and transformation of a Grade II Listed former wire mill into a state-of-the-art Outpatient facility in Lindley, Huddersfield. The characterful building, once a prominent and bustling place of employment for local workers, has been returned to good use to serve the local community after years of dereliction.

Acre Mills, which opened to the public in February 2015, is the first UK Health Sector project to be built within the asset-backed public private partnership between NHS Calderdale and Huddersfield Trust and Henry Boot Developments. The scheme makes manifest an innovative approach to the funding and management of non-acute public healthcare.

Judges Neil Redfern of English Heritage and Richard Schofield of Rider Hunt Management Services commented:

“This year we were privileged to view 8 projects of outstanding quality. All demonstrated a constructive and creative approach to conservation and the reuse of historic buildings. Acre Mills was our stand out choice as it uniquely integrated a state-of-the-art outpatient facility into a former mill building. There is a clear and tangible sense that the building provides a caring and familiar environment that is supportive to members of the community when they need it most. The real testament to the success of this project is its members of the community likening Acre Mills to their own private hospital.”

Tom Rhys Jones, Jefferson Sheard’s Managing Director, commented:

“I am delighted that this project has been recognised by such a prestigious outfit as the RICS Awards. My colleagues at Jefferson Sheard, John Turner Construction, Merrin Jenkins, Henry Boot Developments, Henry Boot Construction and the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust have collaborated seamlessly to achieve a remarkable conservation that will serve the community for many years to come.”

As the winner of the Building Conservation Category, Acre Mills will now be entered into the national RICS Awards Grand Final, to be held at The Dorchester in October 2015.