A SERIES of buildings across Ryedale have won awards for their outstanding design.

The awards were made as part of the 2014 Local Authority Building Control Excellence Awards.

Among the winners were the Peat Rigg Outdoor Training Centre at Cropton near Pickering which scooped the Best Educational Building Category.

Peat Rigg, which is owned by Tees Valley Community Foundations, provides a unique service to young people and their leaders through their provision of Outdoor Education courses.

Since it opened in 2005 around 1,400 young people each year use the centre to experience outdoor learning.

A new extension to the centre provides carefully designed accommodation to ensure that the building is fully inclusive and that the trainers can operate effectively with their student groups – which include people with special needs and requirements.

Les Chapman, Head of the North Yorkshire Building Control Partnership, said: “A great deal of thought and effort has gone into making the revamp of the Peat Rigg Centre such a success."

Farndale Holiday Cottages won the Best Refurbishment or extension of a Listed Building category.

The cottages were created from Grade 2 listed farm buildings and stables to form four holiday lets and the conversion was carried out with every effort made to keep historic features and using traditional methods and materials.

Mr Chapman said: “The scheme is a deserved winner of this award.

“Every care has been taken to ensure that the buildings have retained their original charm in their new life as holiday cottages with great attention to detail.”

The Pasture Lane housing scheme in Hovingham – made up of four affordable houses– was presented with the Best Social or Affordable Housing Development , while Barkers Yard in Helmsley won the category for Best Commercial Small Building/Scheme.

Owned by Helmsley Estate, the disused stable yard comprised of a range of listed buildings which have been brought back to life with the redevelopment of this previously overlooked area of the town.

The shops are also environmentally friendly and incorporate air source heat pumps and high levels of insulation were added to the fabric of the building, to meet with Building Regulations standards.

Mr Chapman said: “This project is a wonderful example of how a disused site has been given a new use, which has enhanced the area."

Main contractor Will Saggers said: “Together with Helmsley Estate’s Joinery and Repairs Department and a team of local contractors, we set out to sympathetically redevelop this historic site in the centre of Helmsley. We are delighted to receive this award in recognition of our achievement.”

Owner of the site Jake Duncombe, added: “Thriving independent shops and cafés in beautiful old stone buildings bring life to the town, and make Helmsley special. I am thrilled that Barker’s Yard has won this award, and wish to thank everyone involved in making the project such a success.”