An international multi-site design competition passed a major milestone today as one of six winners was announced.

An inspirational concept design from Manchester-based Landscape Projects, for a high profile public space in Accrington, Lancashire, has triumphed in the Pennine Lancashire Squared contest, commissioned by regeneration agency Elevate.

The winning entry reflects Accrington’s identity as a floral market town and proposes creating a flexible open space in front of the neighbouring market hall and town hall, with lighting of key buildings. The design team’s emerging ideas also include tree planting, seating and a dramatic cast iron curve telling the story of the town.

Chair of the judging panel, Stirling Prize-winning architect Stephen Hodder MBE, said: “We were seeking something of truly international quality and the winning proposal forAccrington by Landscape Projects is exactly that. It is a scheme which respects the quality and setting of the town hall and the market but at the same time addresses the quite different qualities of Peel Street. The completed square will be something that the people of Accrington can be truly proud of.”

Hyndburn Councillor Lynn Wilson, who was also on the judging panel, said: “Every team brought something to the discussion that was really interesting and positive. They had all studied the architecture of the town centre and its magnificent buildings, and the history that goes with those buildings: it really made me look at Accringtonin a new light. The winning entry was quite simple but had a flavour that local people will identify with and enjoy.”

Neil Swanson from Landscape Projects said: “We're made up. For us Accrington is a fine town, one of the jewels of Pennine Lancashire, which needs a proper public place at its heart... a place for meeting, for markets, celebrations and events. It was great to meet with local people to discuss their ideas for the new square. We hope we've done them justice. It's a real privilege to be selected, and we're really excited at the prospect of taking our ideas further...and preparing Accy to make the best of the up-turn, when it comes. We can’t wait to get going."

Elevate Chief Executive Max Steinberg said: “Pennine Lancashire has a series of towns at its heart, and each of them deserves a world class space at its centre to help invigorate the entire town. Landscape Projects’ winning proposals for new additions and improvements to the public realm in Accrington will create an inspirational environment for people to use and enjoy every day – and provide an outstanding example of world class landscape design. This is what the Pennine Lancashire Squared initiative is all about.”

Winners for the five other Pennine Lancashire towns - Blackburn, Bacup, Clitheroe, Burnley and Nelson - are being selected by five judging panels, all headed by Stephen Hodder.

The judges are considering concept designs from landscape architecture and architecture teams, shortlisted from 78 Expressions of Interest from across the world. The other four practices which made the shortlist for Accrington were Austin-Smith: Lord (Manchester), McChesney Architects (London), Balmori Associates Inc (New York and London) and Taylor Young Limited (Cheshire).

The Pennine Lancashire Squared competition is the brainchild of Yvette Livesey and her late partner, music mogul Anthony H Wilson, and was commissioned by Elevate on behalf of the Pennine Lancashire Leaders and Chief Executives (PLLACE).

The Landscape Institute, the chartered body for landscape architects, is running the competition, with the support of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The competition has received funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and Arts Council England, and is being implemented by the Boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale, with support from Lancashire County Council. CABE Space is providing ongoing support for the development of Pennine Lancashire Squared.

The winning entry can be viewed at www.hyndburn.gov.uk, or for more details, visit www.penninelancashire.com/landscape.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The Landscape Institute is the professional body and regulator for landscape architecture. Under its Royal Charter the Landscape Institute is charged with protecting, conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for the benefit of the public.

Partners:

Elevate: A regeneration agency in Pennine Lancashire. It was established in 2003 to renew the housing market in the former mills towns of the area.

Livesey Wilson Associates: Yvette Livesey and her late partner Anthony H Wilson were engaged to come up with a radical programme of cultural and social projects that would support the physical regeneration funded by Elevate. They came up with the competition in their report, Dreaming of Pennine Lancashire.

NWDA: The Northwest Regional Development Agency leads the economic development and regeneration of England’s Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life.

CABE Space: CABE Space is the specialist public space part of CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment). It aims to bring excellence to the design and management of public space by working with public sector clients and other organisations across England.

PLLACE: Pennine Lancashire Leaders and Chief Executives was established more than three years ago and brings together the senior political and officer leadership of the local authorities of Pennine Lancashire – the boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale – and Lancashire County Council with the Chamber of Commerce, Lancashire Economic Partnership, Primary Care Trusts and the Elevate Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder.

Living Places: Living Places aims to demonstrate how culture and sport can underpin regeneration and contribute to sustainable communities. Living Places has identified Pennine Lancashire Squared as a priority project

Places Matter!: Places Matter! aims to drive up the quality of place making in the Northwest, providing support and celebrating success. Places Matter! is an Architecture and Built Environment Centre and a member of the Architecture Centre Network.

English Heritage: English Heritage exists to conserve and promote England’s spectacular historic environment and ensure that its past is understood and enjoyed.

Arts Council England: Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people's lives. As the national development agency for the arts, it supports a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, and carnival to crafts.