Ysgol Bae Baglan, Seaway Parade, Port Talbot wins at 2017 LABC Building Excellence Awards Grand Finals

The project at Ysgol Bae Baglan, Seaway Parade, Port Talbot was awarded the title of Best Educational Building at the Grand Final of the LABC Building Excellence Awards – one of the most recognised events on the building industry’s calendar.

A panel of industry experts judged a list of the highest quality projects from around England and Wales to reward the best in technical innovation, sustainability and design.

Designed by NPTCBC and constructed by Bouygues for Neath Port Talbot Council’s Education Directorate, the £40m new build took just 18 months to construct. It opened its door in September to 1,500 pupils and 200 staff and has become one of only 850 Microsoft Showcase schools worldwide and one of only four in Wales. The Microsoft accolade demonstrates the school’s commitment and ambition in transforming its learning environment and for its use of mobile and cloud technology.

The facility is not just a school but is also a community asset that boasts a year round, day, evening and weekend multi-use provision which includes learning and sport facilities to rival the best available in Wales. This includes a full size Welsh league standard grass football pitch, astro turf hockey pitch and a full size IRB22 standard 3G rugby all weather facility.

The project is testament to the commitment of the Council, the design team and the contractor to deliver a truly innovative and outstanding learning facility that has changed the education landscape of the local and wider area with local community engagement at its heart.

LABC Chief Executive Paul Everall said: “Our building excellence awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate innovation and good practice. Our winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings. Our awards are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry.”

The Grand Finals of the LABC Building Excellence Awards took place on Friday 10 November 2017 at the Westminster Park Plaza in London and was hosted by Gyles Brandreth, writer, broadcaster, actor, and former Conservative Member of Parliament. Over 800 building industry professionals including contractors, architects and engineers attended the celebration to find out which projects won across the 15 hotly contested categories.

Find out everything you need to know about the LABC awards

About the LABC Building Excellence Awards

The LABC Building Excellence Awards showcase buildings and design teams that have had to tussle with complex technical or construction issues and building site constraints.  They highlight innovative and creative solutions and building control professionalism that leads to safe, sustainable and high quality construction projects.

For media enquiries, or to arrange an interview, please contact: Louise Williams louise.williams@labc.co.uk or Philip Hammond phil.hammond@labc.co.uk. LABC tel 020 8616 8120.