Grand designs

Developers Iliad and Glenn Howells Architects have scooped the coveted National Housing Design prize for the Old Market on Domine Lane.

The complex is the first stage of the Rotherham Renaissance project, which will see the town centre undergo massive changes in the next two decades.

It is on the site of Rotherham's old market hall, just 100 yards from Rotherham Minster and is in a conservation area.

Work began on the new complex in late 2006 and is expected to be completed in summer 2008. It is the first of five sites to be developed in the same area which will include more than 150 new apartments, shops and offices.

The award-winning Old Market will create 44 one, two and three bedroom apartments on four storeys with ground-floor retail accommodation built around a raised internal courtyard.

Iliad Group's business development director Bill Add, said: "Both Iliad and GHA are encouraged that this project has received the recognition we feel it deserves and we are proud to be involved in such an important initiative such as Rotherham Renaissance."

Rotherham Council leader Coun Roger Stone said: "You can't get a better testimonial to the quality of the scheme than this. It also fully justifies our choice of Iliad as our partner. We set out to make quality a foundation for our Renaissance programme, and this proves we're succeeding."

Rotherham Renaissance is part of Yorkshire Forward's regional Renaissance Towns programme and includes plans for a number of town centre developments including riverside apartments, restaurants and bars as well as new office accommodation.