The British Construction and Infrastructure Awards (BCIA) introduced a category in honour of ICE Past President and industry leader, Sir John Armitt.
A coastal scheme protecting 10,000 homes, 700 businesses and Henry VIII’s Southsea Castle has taken home the first Sir John Armitt Prize at the British Construction and Infrastructure Awards (BCIA).
The Southsea Coastal Scheme, worth more than £185 million, stretches from Old Portsmouth to Eastney in south-east England. It’s the largest local authority-led project in the UK.
As well as installing new coastal defences such as rock revetments (designed to dissipate wave energy) and sea walls, it has created areas for the community to enjoy.
Promenades, social spaces and tiered seating have been part of frontages 4 and 5 on the project, improving views of the sea and of Henry VIII’s 1544 fortification.
The project went above and beyond to deliver not just for the client, but end users, too, and that’s what won it this new infrastructure award.
The prize is named after Sir John Armitt, ICE Past President and chair of the Council of Expert Advisors of the UK's National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA).
“This project is so much more than a coastal defence scheme,” said the judges, led by Sir John.
“It has created a ‘magnetic’ destination, blending flood protection, community, environment and heritage.”
The judges highlighted that the impact of a 1- in 200-year flood would cost 10 times the value of the scheme.
The other Sir John Armitt Prize nominees:
- 76 Southbank
- A40 Eynsham Park and Ride to Wolvercote scheme
- EcoPark South
- Glasgow Resilience Project – C1a
- HMP Millsike
- National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) Programme
- Preston Western Distributor Road
Sir John said: “We design to satisfy a client’s desired outcomes.
“But we must also satisfy wider stakeholders by creating buildings and infrastructure that benefit the community and provide an improved and uplifting environment.
“This award recognises a project team that exemplifies these very qualities.”
76 Southbank, London
The team behind the 76 Southbank refurbishment prioritised preserving the Grade-II listed structure’s Brutalist design.
The office building retained over 80% of its existing structure, incorporating 50,000 square feet of outdoor terraces offering a view of the River Thames.
A40 Eynsham Park and Ride to Wolvercote scheme, Oxfordshire
This scheme seeks to make journeys quicker and safer by delivering a new junction connecting the park-and-ride service at Eynsham to the A40.
It also features new bus lanes and upgraded walking and cycling facilities to improve the options for those travelling into Oxford, residents and visitors alike.
EcoPark South, London
The North London Waste Authority was shortlisted in this category for its plan to build a £1.2bn sustainable waste management hub in Edmonton.
EcoPark South will be able to manage 135,000 tonnes of recyclable material per year, supporting the industry’s push towards a circular economy.
Glasgow Resilience Project – C1a, Scotland
Seven miles of new pipes connecting Glasgow’s water network with Ayrshire’s system are set to benefit one million people and businesses in the area.
The Glasgow Resilience Project will improve the resilience of the water supply network. It enables Scottish Water to transfer millions of litres between the two areas should there be an issue in one of them (i.e. a burst main).
HMP Millsike, Yorkshire
HMP Millsike is the first UK prison to run entirely on electricity, consuming 68% less energy than other newly built prisons.
The size of 39 football pitches, it can hold almost 1,500 inmates.
National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) Programme, England
National Highways’ NEAR Programme aims to improve safety on smart motorways by reducing how far drivers must travel to find a safe space to stop in an emergency.
It introduces 150 new refuge bays to the network with £390m in funding from the UK government.
Preston Western Distributor Road, Lancashire
This scheme introduces three new roads to the Preston and Fylde area in Lancashire.
The new roads – Edith Rigby Way, William Young Way and Avice Pimblett Way – provide access to new housing developments and to the motorway, while reducing congestion in the area.
As part of the scheme, 2,000 trees and 122,00 shrubs were planted, and a dedicated bat barn was installed.
The British Construction and Infrastructure Awards (BCIA)
The Sir John Armitt Prize was one of several upgrades to the BCIA this year.
Alongside a name change, the awards introduced several categories to celebrate the positive impact that the industry can have on the environment and society.
The Social Value & Community Impact Award was among the new additions, and it went to a project set to revolutionise transport in Northern Ireland: the Belfast Grand Central Station.
The station features 26 bus stands and eight rail platforms, making it the largest integrated transport hub on the island of Ireland.
The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Impact Award was also new this year, and it went to the Eaveolution initiative at the Beckton Depot project for Transport for London (TfL).
This approach used digital technology to protect outdoor workers in high-risk construction environments, addressing risks posed by exposure to noise, dust and vibration.
The judges were impressed that it “also empowered operatives to take ownership of their own health and safety”.
The Retrofit and Reuse Project Award returned this year, with the Sherwood Observatory in Nottinghamshire taking home the accolade.
This project repurposed a derelict Victorian underground reservoir into a science discovery centre.
The Project Team Excellence Award went to AlignJV (joint venture between Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and Vokerfitzpatrick) for its work on the Colne Valley Viaduct in Buckinghamshire.
Built for High Speed 2 (HS2) and considered the longest railway bridge in the UK, the judges felt this project demonstrated “strong and passionate leadership from HS2”.
The full list of BCIA 2025 winners
- Commercial Property Project Award: 2 Ruskin Square
- Cultural & Leisure Project Award: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Stadium
- Housing & Residential Project Award: urbanest Battersea
- Retrofit & Reuse Project Award: Sherwood Observatory
- Social Infrastructure Project Award: EcoPark House
- Energy Project Award: Poole Hospital
- Environmental Project Award: Hawick Flood Protection Scheme
- Placemaking Project Award: Colwyn Bay Phase 2B (Rhos-on-Sea)
- Transport Project Award: Cross Tay Link Road
- Upgrade & Renewal Project Award: Port of Leith’s Green Renewal – Berth Redevelopment
- Water Project Award: Llyn Celyn Section 10 MITIOS works
- International Project Award: Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant, Republic of Ireland
- Small Project Award: Armadillo Bridge, Roding, Germany
- Digital Impact Award: In-house AI analytics for M25 defect surveys
- Health, Safety & Wellbeing Impact Award: Eaveolution – Beckton Depot Health, Safety and Wellbeing Initiative
- Net Zero Carbon Impact Award: Gen-Zero Pilot School for DfE
- Sustainability & Environmental Impact Award: East West Rail Phase 2
- Innovation Impact Award: The Virtual Safety Integration
- Architectural Design Excellence Award: HUT Architecture
- Construction Excellence Award: Balfour Beatty Vinci
- Engineering Excellence Award: Arup
- Project Team Excellence Award: Colne Valley Viaduct – AlignJV
- Sir John Armitt Prize: Southsea Coastal Scheme – frontage 4 & 5
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