Three iconic Shropshire buildings shortlisted for top architecture prize

All three are also very different, from a major leisure and retail development to a loving museum restoration and a surgery refurbishment.

Telford's Southwater Development is one of the leading names in the 2015 RICS West Midlands Awards featuring in the shortlists for the commercial, infrastrucutre, regeneration and tourism and leisure section.

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery and Donnington Medical Practice are also shortlisted in the awards.

They are all in good company, joining a Midlands list that also includes iconic buildings like the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, Old Market in Hereford and even the extension to Birmingham Airport's runway.

There are eight categories with 32 projects from across the West Midlands in the running for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors awards.

The winners from the Building Conservation, Community Benefit, Infrastructure, Design through Innovation and the Regeneration categories will then represent the West Midlands and compete against projects from across the rest of the UK, at the overall RICS Awards in London.

Southwater is a £250 million project transforming the heart of Telford. The retail and leisure destination has been billed as safeguarding 400 jobs and creating 350 new roles.

It includes Telford & Wrekin Council's new headquarters with a new library, a cinema, restaurants, and parkland including a lake and an "urban beach". Further phases include more restaurants and shops.

Councillor Bill McClements, cabinet member for finance and enterprise, said today: "I am absolutely delighted that Southwater is being so well received and to be shortlisted for four categories by a prestigious organisation like RICS is absolutely fantastic.

"We are extremely proud of the Southwater development and we have had some very positive feedback from our residents. People really feel that Telford has been lifted by the development.

"I just hope that we can go on and win at least one of the categories in the RICS Awards because we feel that the development deserves it."

Matt Tong, the operations and facilities manager at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, which is shortlisted in the building conservation category said the recognition was well deserved. The restoration work to turn the historic Music Hall into its new role cost more than £10.5 million.

"We are all very excited," he said.

"So many of our visitors compliment the building and the restoration that has taken place. Of course people remember it as the Music Hall and they say walking in takes them right back to when they would come here for shows and other events. The grand staircase still has pride of place and the main auditorium is now the gallery but has retained all its wonderful features."

Donnington Medical Practice, shortlisted in the community benefit section, was redeveloped from its original 1960s building.

Victoria Hampson, acting director RICS North and Midlands, said: "The quality of entries received this year is truly outstanding and clearly demonstrates the fantastic work being carried out by property professionals.

"There is a wealth and variety of inspirational new projects and regenerated developments and I am sure it will be a challenging judging process."

Judging for the awards will take place during the spring with the RICS West Midlands Awards ceremony being held at Birmingham Town Hall on May 21, hosted by presenter and property expert, Phil Spencer.

The national ceremony will take place in London in October. One of the big winners last year was the new £188 million library for Birmingham.