Two prestigious awards were last week won by a design and construction project jointly led by Birmingham City Council.

The Birmingham Construction Partnership (BCP) - also including contractors Thomas Vale, Wates and GF Tomlinson - won the first-ever Supreme Award at the Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards.

There was also a second reason to celebrate when the BCP, which has completed 199 projects since 2004, also scooped the Long-term Partnering Award for the second award running.

Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: "I am delighted that the BCP has been recognised on the national stage as a leading player in the field of regeneration.

"These awards confirm what we already knew, that Birmingham "s somewhere that innovative and exciting projects can be taken from the drawing board and transformed into reality. I hope they will demonstrate to others - within the business community and the public sector - both nationally and internationally, what Birmingham can achieve."

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Clive Dutton, Director of Planning and Regeneration at Birmingham City Council added: "These two awards are testament to the hard work and unquestionable dedication of the council’s officers and its partners to deliver first-class regeneration projects for the city of Birmingham."

Ahead of their announcement, judges said the Supreme Award would be presented to an organisation which is changing the way the UK construction industry works and which has made great steps in improving its own performance, or that of its customers or clients. The winner will be an organisation or firm which is truly an exemplar for the industry."

The Long-term Partnering Award is presented to projects that help create a "Long-Term step change in construction performance," while exhibiting "innovation and measured improvement".

Amongst the 199 completed projects worked on by the BCP since its formation are the St Thomas Children’s Centre in Lee Bank and a £7 million revamp of Handsworth Park. Current and future schemes include the co-location of Coppice and Langley Schools as well as work to re-roof the Council House Extension.

(JM)