Two Southampton projects took the spotlight at the esteemed Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) South East Regional Awards.

Commissioned by Southampton City Council and involving contractor Atkins-Realis, both projects were recognised for their significant contributions to the local community and heritage at an event on June 17.

St Mark’s Church of England School grabbed the Community Benefit Award while the Heritage Asset Repair Programme (HARP) was shortlisted for the Heritage Award.

The school’s win means it will contend at the national level in October.

HARP, launched in June 2023 and completed its first phase in January 2024, is focused on conserving Southampton's crucial historical monuments.

The currently ongoing Phase 2, due for completion in the late Autumn, has seen collaboration between the council's Culture & Tourism and Corporate Estate and Assets teams, Atkins-Realis, Pritchard Architecture and Traditional Stone.

In 2022, St Mark’s School distinguished itself as Southampton's first all-through school for ages four to 16, when its secondary wing accepted its opening batch of students.

Led by the council’s Corporate Estate and Assets team, along with the Diocese of Winchester, the project also engaged Morgan Sindall as the contractor and Atkins-Realis and Architecture PLB as professional consultants.

The project has considerably bolstered local families' access to state-of-the-art amenities, saving them long bus rides to distant schools.

Councillor Pat Evemy, Southampton City Council’s Heritage Champion said: "We are very proud to be investing in their preservation for future generations, alongside investing in the education, hopes and aspirations of our city’s young people which is why I was delighted to see these two fantastic projects nominated."

Councillor Alex Winning, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning said: "I’m delighted that St Mark’s School has won the Regional Community Benefit Award and I know how much this will mean to those involved with the project. "

Jeremy Lineham, HARP Project Manager from AtkinsRealis said: "I’m proud that this project was recognised by RICS and shortlisted as a regional finalist. Southampton’s rich and diverse heritage is critical to the city’s identity and a growing sense of pride that can be enjoyed by communities and visitors to the city."