The countdown is underway and on Thursday, 30 September, the winners of this year’s Herald Property Awards for Scotland powered by Property Studios will finally be announced and there is still time to take your place at the event.
For the shortlisted developers, architects, property professionals and interiors specialists, the awards ceremony, which will be held on The Herald’s Awards Room platform, will come as a welcome highlight during a time when the house building industry has been facing unprecedented issues.
From site closures, staff shortages and supply chain issues, the work of getting houses completed has never been so tough. But despite the challenges, house builders in Scotland have shown their resilience by continuing to create homes that are worthy of awards.
Yet despite the issues faced by the industry, The Herald’s judges, led by consultant surveyor, Andrew McFarlane and including both Tom Barclay, director of property and developments with Wheatley Group and Beverley Brown from Scotland’s Homes, have not been any less rigorous in their assessment of the properties under scrutiny and so one things is certain, this year’s crop of winners will have earned their accolades as never before.
There are 18 categories in this year’s awards, ranging from Best Apartment to Affordable Housing Development of the Year, and including both Property Team of the Year and Residential Lettings Team. The latter two are amongst a number of awards that will be given out on the night to those people within the industry who have demonstrated outstanding levels of professionalism in the face of some of the toughest trading that the industry has ever experienced.
The Herald Property Awards for Scotland are renowned for recognising achievement across the sector and amongst those waiting to find out if this is the year when they will finally carry off a prestigious Herald Property Award are Hayhill Developments, who are shortlisted in the Best Family Home category for their ‘Eglinton’ house type at Hillhead Heights in the Ayrshire village of Mauchline.
Included amongst the finalists on the Best Renovation or Conversion shortlist is Cala Homes (East) for their conversion of the Boroughmuir building in Edinburgh’s Brunstsfield into contemporary apartments, while architects, Anderson Bell & Christie are amongst the finalists in the Best Regeneration Project category for their work in breathing new life into the Johnstone Castle housing estate in Renfrewshire.
These are just some of the many outstanding examples that will be celebrated during this year’s event and Michelle Milnes, managing director of title sponsor, Property Studios, said: “We are really excited to finally gather together with our colleagues and peers in the Scottish property industry for an evening of socialising and celebration. Now that things are finally returning to normal following these unprecedented times, we look forward to celebrating the achievements and the resilience of all businesses across the Scottish property sector. Many congratulations to all the finalists for making it this far.”
Aside from being title sponsors, Property Studios are also sponsors of two of the most hotly-contested awards in this year’s event – Estate Agency of the Year and Individual New Build & Small Development.
Meanwhile Alec Cassidy, Finance Director, Ross and Liddell and sponsors of the Best Luxury Home category, said: “Ross and Liddell are very much looking forward to the return of this event this year. Interrupted last year by the effects of the worldwide pandemic, it was unfairly absent from the calendar and missed by all in the housing sector. We are very proud to continue our support of the programme and would like to congratulate all of the finalists for their achievements.”
There are just two weeks left until the winners are announced and full details of the event, along with tickets, are available at https://newsquestscotlandevents.com/events/heraldpropertyawards/