At a gala awards ceremony held at Liverpool’s new ACC arena, Dalton Hall Business Centre was announced as the winner in the Building Conservation category. Developed and delivered by Rural Solutions, Dalton Hall Business Centre, near Kendal in Cumbria provides 11,500 sq ft of superb rural workspace all of which was contracted to be let to company occupiers before handover. This success means that this latest scheme developed by Rural Solutions goes on to represent the UK at international level later in the year.

This is an award of some prestige and is a testament to the vision of the owners Francis and Charlotte Mason-Hornby. It is all the more notable for this year’s shortlist providing particularly daunting competition with projects at Tatton Park and Chester's Bridge Street. The North West region also covers the whole of Manchester and Liverpool, meaning there were some fascinating schemes representing the recent regeneration of historic buildings in Liverpool.

Rural Solutions Construction was contracted to transform the heritage former model farm buildings at Dalton Hall into contemporary, stylish office accommodation. The RICS judges commented on the quality of workmanship, the beautiful symmetry of the buildings and, most importantly to them, the fact that the scheme is already fully occupied with companies who are flourishing in their new working environment.