Hat-trick of honours coming home to HICSA

Sunderland's flagship Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA) has been recognised as one of the North East's outstanding developments after winning three major accolades at the RICS North East Awards last night.

The landmark educational facility - the product of a partnership between Education Partnership North East and Sunderland City Council has been named Project of the Year, Best Public Sector Project and Best Refurbishment/ Revitalisation Project at the prestigious awards ceremony, celebrating excellence in the built environment across the region.  The awards were held at the Crowne Plaza Newcastle.  

Located within the Sheepfolds neighbourhood at Riverside Sunderland, HICSA has transformed a long-vacant Victorian railway goods shed into the centrepiece of a pioneering academy that is helping to address skills shortages across the housing and construction sectors.  The restored heritage building has been fused with a purpose-built training facility, creating a unique environment where learners gain the skills needed to support the future of housebuilding, retrofit, and modern methods of construction.

The triple award success is recognition of the sympathetic restoration of the building, once an important part of Sunderland's industrial and transport infrastructure.  The RICS Awards celebrate excellence across land, real estate, construction and infrastructure, recognising projects that deliver outstanding economic, environmental and social value.  HICSA will now go forward to represent the North East at the national RICS Awards later this year.

Councillor James Jackson, Cabinet Member for Business, Housing and Regeneration at Sunderland City Council, said: "Winning three RICS North East Awards, including the overall Project of the Year title, is an outstanding achievement and one that everyone involved in HICSA should be incredibly proud of.

"HICSA is much more than a building.  It represents a commitment to investing in people, creating opportunities and ensuring Sunderland has the skilled workforce needed to deliver the homes, infrastructure and developments of the future.  We're very much committed to ensuring that communities across the city feel the impact of the regeneration the council is driving, and HICSA is a good example of a project that is creating opportunities for young people across Sunderland."

HICSA forms a key part of Sunderland's wider regeneration programme and demonstrates the city's commitment to developing the skills needed to support the future housing needs of the city, creating high-quality employment opportunities for local people.