FOR the second year running, Price Bailey Chartered Accountants were delighted to be headline sponsor with the much coveted Project of the Year award at the East of England Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards, known to be t

FOR the second year running, Price Bailey Chartered Accountants were delighted to be headline sponsor with the much coveted 'Project of the Year' award at the East of England Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards, known to be the property industry Oscars.

Out of 32 entrants, The Mill in Ipswich scooped the 'Project of the Year' award, which is a special prize presented to an entry that is judged to have excelled in one (or all) of the main categories which include sustainability, regeneration, community benefit and building conservation. Other entrants within the four categories were Harlow Incubation Centre, the beautiful Bailey Bridge in Braintree, the American Military Cemetery and St Johns College in Cambridge, Great Shelford Library, Snape Maltings in Suffolk, Dragonfly House in Norwich and Hengrave Hall near Bury St Edmunds.

The winners received their prizes at the gala dinner held in May at the Cambridge Belfry Hotel in Cambourne hosted by Janine Machin presenter of BBC Look East. The High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Dr Nigel Brown OBE and founder of NW Brown Group Ltd, made the key note speech.

The Mill is a housing project which is part of a mixed-use regeneration scheme for Ipswich Waterfront including arts and commerce. This project required considerable courage on the part of the developers and great persistence by the architect. The result is certainly a landmark for the City of Ipswich.

The East of England RICS Awards celebrating their twentieth year provides an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of talents.

Peter Gillman, managing director at Price Bailey Chartered Accountants who presented the 'Project of the Year' award, said: "In this economic climate retention and rewarding of talent is vital to the future success of businesses and the economy. Each of these projects had to show a commitment to value for money and sustainability in their own right, as well as being the best in their category. For us these messages are part of our ethos - delivering value to both clients and colleagues; ensuring consistency of service and being the best at what we do.