ILKLEY Civic Society announced its annual Design & Conservation Awards winners in March but has been unable to hold a formal presentation of certificates to all the winners due to Covid-19 restrictions.

However, they have now been able to present the main winner with an award certificate for the Design & Conservation of All Saints Church’s new link building and reordering of the church.

The presentation took place outside the link building last week with Helen Kidman, chairwoman of Ilkley Civic Society presenting the award to the Rev Mike Coe, Vicar of All Saints and Derek Twine, the project manager in a socially distanced way.

Helen Kidman said that this was the first time the society had an award winner that combined major elements of both design of a contemporary building and conservation of a historic building and of its potential to be of great benefit to the local community for years to come.

The Revd Mike Coe added: “We are thrilled to be given this award in recognition of the redevelopment work at the church.

“The design and details of the reordered church and the new link building have greatly enhanced our mission and ministry, and we hope that they will be a great blessing and asset to the local community for many years to come.”

The architects for the detailed design of the project were local company Halliday Clark and construction was by Dobson Construction, another local company.

The Design & Conservation Award is the highest level of recognition from Ilkley Civic Society.

They were impressed with the contemporary design of the new link building between the church and Church House and reordering of All Saints itself.

The civic society was impressed at how the project has created a much more flexible space within the church and an additional space and facilities in the link building. The quality of materials and workmanship - much of it local - was another positive feature.

Interpretation and education also feature well in the project to create a much more useful facility for the community. The project was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The civic society also awarded three Conservation Commendations (for work on historic buildings or structures) this year which went to: the former Rombalds Hotel which has been converted into eight apartments; the Craiglands Hotel who have converted parts of their unused basement area into the Verbeia Spa and T & C Properties for its conversion of units 3 and 4 on Back Nelson Road into offices and a fitness studio.