A new development in Brighton has won its fifth award since opening last year - and there was success for another city development too.

Circus Street developer U+I, along with the project’s architects shedkm, won the Best Architectural Design award at the South East Construction Awards 2022 this week.

The award recognises projects which have been designed in sympathy with their local environment, are innovative, fit for purpose and have achieved practical completion during the previous year.

The 2.4-acre Circus Street site was formerly home to the municipal fruit and vegetable market.

It has since been transformed into a residential and commercial “innovation quarter” by a public private partnership between the council, U+I and the University of Brighton, creating 142 homes, 450 student bedrooms and 3,000 square feet of flexible office accommodation.

Meanwhile at the national Architects’ Journal Architecture Awards 2022 last week, the Valley Gardens scheme was highly commended in the Landscape and Public Realm category, finishing as runners up for the award.

The judges praised the project for having “delivered a massive amount on a small budget”.

The Valley Gardens scheme has transformed the area between St Peter’s Church and the Old Steine in Brighton, introducing a new events space, wildflower meadows and trees.

The Argus: The Valley Gardens schemeThe Valley Gardens scheme (Image: Brighton and Hove City Council)

It has also increased footpaths and cycling space to help improve accessibility.

 “The overall impact and scale of this project is huge,”said one judge. “It’s a project of exceptional value to the user and to the city.”

Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council Phélim Mac Cafferty was delighted by the awards.

“It is wonderful to see the awards coming in thick and fast for Circus Street, which is a beautifully designed and exciting new area of the city, thanks to the superb design and creative thinking of the architects and the project team, led by U+I,” he said.