The St Albans Civic Society held an awards ceremony to celebrate outstanding building projects completed in the city last year.

The awards were held on Tuesday, October 30 to recognise projects that contribute to the ‘preservation and enhancement of the character of St Albans’, and have high standards of architecture, planning, landscaping and design.

This year, two projects were awarded the society’s annual award and plaque, while one project was awarded the Trevelyan Prize, which recognises the finest quality in conservation or restoration.

One of the Civic Society awards went to London House in London Road, designed by SADA Architecture which is a development of 10 apartments on three floors, with one penthouse apartment above.

According to the society, the building is a “welcome contrast to its very conventional and stolid recent neighbours”.

The other award went to a house rebuild and extension in Gainsborough Avenue, Clarence Park, which was designed by WEAL Architects. The client wanted an energy-efficient family home, built to a green agenda, with a first floor living room and facilities to work from home.

The society said: “This house has the virtue of raising the bar in architectural quality, providing a worthy model for future plot housing.”

A reconstructed house in Folly Lane and a renovated house in Seymour Road, Bernards Heath were also commended for the award.

The Trevelyan Prize was awarded to the renovation of The Crow in Fishpool Street. The 16th-century building has seen many changes during its lifetime, serving as a smithy, a bakery, a pub and now two houses and two apartments.

The society described the renovation as “a worthy exemplar for those restoring historic buildings and adapting them for modern use”.

A commendation for the Trevelyan Prize was also given to construction work at St Michael’s C of E School.

Deputy Mayor of St Albans Cllr Brian Gibbard said: “St Albans is an attractive city with many beautiful and historic buildings so it is important to ensure that high design standards are maintained when it comes to development projects, however big or small.”