Awards timeline
The inscription on a lead water pipe displayed in the Grosvenor museum in Chester dates it to 79AD and is the earliest evidence of Roman settlement in this area. The City Council decided, therefore, to celebrate the 1900th anniversary of the foundation of Chester in 1979. An awards scheme for conservation projects was established with winners presented with a circular plaque depicting the head of Vespasian, the Roman emperor in 79AD.
Due to the success of the scheme the Awards committee decided it should be repeated at five-yearly intervals.
The awards timeline
1979
Awards scheme for conservation projects
Winners:
• Anchotite Cell - James Brotherhood
• Stretton Mill Cornmill Museum - Cheshire County Council,
• 90/92 Lower Bridge Street - Three Kings Studio
1984
Awards scheme for conservation projects
Winner: Godstall lane
1987
Awards scheme for conservation projects
[now includes to new build entries]
Winner: Chester District Library
1995
Awards scheme for architecture
and conservation
Winners:
• Chester Magistrates Court
• Rufus Court, Chester
• Tattenhall Hall
2000
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winners:
• Bull's cottage, Tarvin - Arct.D.T. Doxat-Pratt
• Chester scout HQ - Tweed Nuttall Warburton
• Dixons Almshouses, Christleton
2005
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winners Residential [new]
• Dee Hill's Court, Chester - Tweed Nuttall Warburton
• 8 Cambrian View, Chester
Winner Residential [conversion]
• Burwardsley Chapel
Winner Public / Commercial [new]
• Wimbold Trafford Hall
Winner Public / Commercial [conversion]
• Eaton estate offices, Eccleston
2010
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Education [new]
• All Saints CoE Primary School - Lovelock Mitchell arts
Winner Residential [new & refurb]
• 16 Lache lane, Chester - Andy Foster acts
Winner Residential [new & refurb]
• Leighton Hall Farm, Neston - Donald Insall Associates
Winner Residential / Commercial [new & refurb]
• Gunnery Dev, Tarvin - Sandra Murray Associates
Winner Community build conservation
• St Mary's church, Thornton-le-Moors - Tim Ratcliffe Associates
Winner Community build refurbishment
• Chester Town Hall - Cheshire West and Chester Council
2015
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Commercial conversion and conservation
• Chester cathedral
Winner Public realm improvements
• The Groves, Chester
Winner Commercial new build
• Oddfellows, Chester
Winner Community conversion
• Lion salt works, Northwich
Winner Commercial new build
• Marks & Spencer, Cheshire Oaks
Winner Residential new build
• Sandiway bank, Hartford
2021
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Residential conservation
• Handley Oak - Donald Insall Associates
Winner Residential [new]
• Shot tower, Chester - DLA Architecture
Winner Community [new conversion]
• Storyhouse - Bennets Associates
Winner Community [new]
• The lookout, Pettypool - Walker Simpson Arts
Winner Commercial [conservation & refurb]
• Burton Manor - Donald Insall Associates
Winner Public realm
• Town Park, Winford - CWAC Landscape Team
Winner New build sustainable
• Delamere Forest Visitors Centre - Design Group Chester
2025
Cheshire West Design Awards
Submissions Deadline
• June 30
Shortlisted entries advised
• September 1
CWDA Dinner
• November 27
The awards timeline
1979
Awards scheme for conservation projects
Winners:
• Anchotite Cell - James Brotherhood
• Stretton Mill Cornmill Museum - Cheshire County Council,
• 90/92 Lower Bridge Street - Three Kings Studio
1984
Awards scheme for conservation projects
Winner: Godstall lane
1987
Awards scheme for conservation projects
[now includes to new build entries]
Winner: Chester District Library
1995
Awards scheme for architecture
and conservation
Winners:
• Chester Magistrates Court
• Rufus Court, Chester
• Tattenhall Hall
2000
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winners:
• Bull's cottage, Tarvin - Arct.D.T. Doxat-Pratt
• Chester scout HQ - Tweed Nuttall Warburton
• Dixons Almshouses, Christleton
2005
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winners Residential [new]
• Dee Hill's Court, Chester - Tweed Nuttall Warburton
• 8 Cambrian View, Chester
2005
Winner Residential [conversion] :
• Burwardsley chapel
2005
Winner Public / Commercial [new]
• Wimbold Trafford hall
2005
Winner Public / Commercial [conversion]
• Eaton estate offices, Eccleston
2010
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Education [new]
• All Saints CoE Primary School - Lovelock Mitchell arts
2010
Winner Residential [new & refurb]
• 16 Lache lane, Chester - Andy Foster acts
2010
Winner Residential [new & refurb]
• Leighton Hall farm, Neston - Donald Insall Associates
2010
Winner Residential/commercial [new & refurb]
• Gunnery Dev, Tarvin - Sandra Murray Associates
2010
Winner Community build conservation
• St Mary's church, Thornton-le-Moors - Tim Ratcliffe Associates
2010
Winner Community build refurbishment
• Chester Town Hall - Cheshire West and Chester Council
2015
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Commercial conversion and conservation
• Chester cathedral
2015
Winner Public realm improvements
• The Groves, Chester
2015
Winner Commercial new Build
• Oddfellows, Chester
2015
Winner Community conversion
• Lion salt works, Northwich
2015
Winner Commercial new build
• Marks & Spencer, Cheshire Oaks
2015
Winner Residential new build
• Sandiway bank, Hartford
2021
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Residential conservation
• Handley Oak - Donald Insall Associates
2021
Winner Residential [new]
• Shot tower, Chester - DLA Architecture
2021
Winner Community [new conversion]
• Storyhouse - Bennets Associates
2021
Winner Community [new]
• The lookout, Pettypool - Walker Simpson Arts
2021
Winner Commercial [conservation & refurb]
• Burton Manor - Donald Insall Associates
2021
Winner Public realm
• Town Park, Winford - CWAC Landscape Team
2021
Winner New build sustainable
• Delamere Forest Visitors Centre - Design Group Chester
The awards timeline
1979
Awards scheme for conservation projects
Winners
• Anchotite Cell -
James Brotherhood
• Stretton Mill Cornmill Museum -
Cheshire County Council,
• 90/92 Lower Bridge Street -
Three Kings Studio
1984
Awards scheme for conservation projects
Winner
• Godstall lane
1987
Awards scheme for conservation projects
[now includes to new build entries]
Winner
• Chester District Library
1995
Awards scheme for architecture
and conservation
Winners
• Chester Magistrates Court
• Rufus Court, Chester
• Tattenhall Hall
2000
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winners:
• Bull's cottage, Tarvin -
Arct.D.T. Doxat-Pratt
• Chester scout HQ -
Tweed Nuttall Warburton
• Dixons Almshouses, Christleton
2005
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winners Residential [new]
• Dee Hill's Court, Chester -
Tweed Nuttall Warburton
• 8 Cambrian View, Chester
Winner Residential [conversion]
• Burwardsley chapel
Winner Public / Commercial [new]
• Wimbold Trafford hall
Winner Public / Commercial [conversion]
• Eaton estate offices, Eccleston
2010
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Education [new]
• All Saints CoE Primary School -
Lovelock Mitchell Arts
Winner Residential [new & refurb] • 16 Lache lane, Chester -
Andy Foster acts
Winner Residential [new & refurb]
• Leighton Hall Farm, Neston -
Donald Insall Associates
Winner Residential / commercial [new & refurb]
• Gunnery Dev, Tarvin -
Sandra Murray Associates
Winner Community build conservation
• St Mary's church,
Thornton-le-Moors -
Tim Ratcliffe Associates
Winner Community build refurbishment
• Chester Town Hall -
Cheshire West & Chester Council
2015
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Commercial conversion and conservation
• Chester cathedral
Winner Public realm improvements
• The Groves, Chester
Winner Commercial new build
• Oddfellows, Chester
Winner Community conversion
• Lion salt works, Northwich
Winner Commercial new build
• Marks & Spencer, Cheshire Oaks
Winner Residential new build
• Sandiway Bank, Hartford
2021
Civic awards for design and conservation
Winner Residential conservation
• Handley Oak -
Donald Insall Associates
Winner Residential [new]
• Shot tower, Chester -
DLA Architecture
Winner Community
[new conversion]
• Storyhouse -
Bennets Associates
Winner Community [new]
• The lookout, Pettypool -
Walker Simpson Arts
Winner Commercial
[conservation & refurb]
• Burton Manor -
Donald Insall Associates
Winner Public realm
• Town Park, Winsford -
CWAC Landscape Team
Winner New build sustainable
• Delamere Forest Visitors Centre -
Design Group Chester
Since the first award scheme was introduced in 1979, the scope of the scheme has continued to develop and evolve. ln addition to rewarding the best architectural projects completed in the previous five years, the publicity which the awards attract has helped to raise the profile of good architectural design and a broader interest in our traditional and contemporary built environment.