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The Weston Homes Community Stadium has added another accolade to its growing list of honours.
The stadium was one of two ground-breaking East of England buildings to have received prestigious commendations at this year's Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors International Awards, fighting off stiff competition from all around the globe.
The stadium was commended in the RICS Community Benefit Award category and the new auction rooms for GE Sworder and Sons in Stansted Mountfitchit, Essex, was commended in the RICS Sustainability Award category.
Representatives from both projects were presented with their prizes at a gala dinner at the Honourable Artillery Company in London last week.
Regarded as the 'Oscars' of the built and natural environment, the RICS Awards recognise excellence, value for money and a commitment to sustainability.
RICS is an independent professional body originally established in the UK by Royal Charter. Since 1868, RICS has been committed to setting and upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity - providing impartial, authoritative advice on key issues affecting businesses and society.
RICS is a regulator of both its individual members and firms enabling it to maintain the highest standards and providing the basis for unparalleled client confidence in the sector.
Weston Homes Community Stadium has not only provided Colchester United football fans with a much needed new ground seating 10,000, but also created excellent facilities for the wider community.
The stadium, which is a project between Colchester Borough Council, Colchester United Football Club and the Colchester United Community Sports Trust, scooped the 'Community Benefit and Project of the Year Award' at the RICS East Awards earlier this year.
In addition to football, the new stadium offers educational, training, health, social, recreational, employment and community activities seven days a week. It also provides local business and charities with an excellent venue for events and launches.
David Potter, RICS East operations director, said: "Both of these projects are ground-breaking in their own right. The new stadium in Colchester is providing first class facilities not just to football fans but to the wider community and was deemed one of the top projects in this hard fought category this year. "
It is the latest in a string of awards for the stadium, which is quickly becoming an exemplar of community engagement and the way that sporting facilities may be built in the future.
"This award is a very strong indicator that, at a national level, the Weston Homes Community Stadium is increasingly regarded as a stadium for its community," Colchester United Chief Executive Steve Bradshaw said.
"The stadium has been lauded by the judges as a 'step change' for the way that stadia are conceived, delivered and run.
"The community facilities that this brings are phenomenal, and should be a driving force for Colchester.
"All of the partners involved are extremely proud of what we have achieved in such a short period of time and would encourage people to view Colchester as their town, Weston Homes Community Stadium as your stadium and Colchester United as your local team.
"Only by increased engagement with our local community can Colchester United achieve its goal of promotion to the Championship and to establish the stadium as the premier event venue in the East of England."
