LABC Building Excellence Awards 2024 winner: Best Public or Community Building

The LABC Grand Finals 2024 took place on Friday 24 January 2025, at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. A celebration recognising excellent projects and individual contributions within the construction industry.

A panel of expert judges carefully reviewed a diverse range of exceptional projects, professionals, and teams, recognising their invaluable contributions to the industry.

The LABC Building Excellence Awards highlight the key role of public sector building control teams in ensuring the safety, quality, and sustainability of construction projects, showcasing the sector’s commitment to excellence and innovation.

LABC is delighted to announce that the WINNER of Best Public or Community is Lelley Fields Crematorium, East Riding of Yorkshire.

Lelley Fields, located in the peaceful countryside of Yorkshire, is a project that provides an important service to the local rural community. The design is carefully suited to its surroundings, giving the building a strong sense of place and purpose. The layout is practical and well-organised, with an orientation that offers beautiful views for mourners. It is fully accessible, with grounds featuring tree planting and wildflower meadows that can be enjoyed throughout the year. Set in a flat rural area, the building has a low profile, blending naturally into the landscape. Natural materials have been thoughtfully chosen, and the building includes features such as heat recovery, passive ventilation, and good insulation to reduce environmental impact.

In a rare and fortunate scenario, the project team for Lelley Fields had the unique advantage of sharing the same building with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council building control team, allowing for a close and collaborative environment. Early discussions with building control and the local fire service helped tackle important issues early on, keeping the project on track from the start. Clear communication made it easy to organise site inspections, with regular meetings bringing together the contractor, building control, and the site supervisor to coordinate schedules and ensure the project ran smoothly

Looking ahead, LABC remains committed to working together to uphold the highest standards of safety and quality in construction, continuing to drive progress and excellence across the sector.