PMA awarded LABC Building Excellence Award for Northway Court
We are delighted to announce that our project at Northway Court has won the award for “Best Non-Residential Extension, Alteration or Conversion” for the South West Region at the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Building Excellence Awards 2025.
This superb tourism development for The Holiday Property Bond (HPB) sits on above the North Devon coast, with far-reaching views over Bideford Bay. The site was originally a complex of farm buildings which were originally converted to holiday accommodation in the 1990’s.
A Unique Coastal Transformation
Our work at Northway Court involved the careful repair, reconfiguration and refurbishment of a collection of traditional stone barns and a former farmhouse to create 15 no. one, two and three-bedroom holiday cottages, along with 3 no. new build cottages that continue the aesthetic of traditional agricultural buildings.
In addition, the project included building a new reception building, refurbishing the leisure building, (including a new indoor swimming pool), tennis court, and extensive site-wide landscaping. The design retains the rural character of the site whilst updating it to meet the expectations of HPB guests, balancing comfort, heritage, and contemporary quality.
Careful Restoration and Refurbishment
Central to our design approach was conserving and improving fabric of the existing buildings. That meant removing harmful past treatments like cement render and gypsum plaster to external solid walls and replacing those with breathable materials including lime, clay and cork insulation, lime plaster and lime render.
Alongside this, external materials were chosen to be low maintenance and high quality, so natural slate roofs and oak joinery were used throughout. New high-performance hardwood windows and doors and sympathetic detailing add to the quality of the development.
New Builds That Blend Seamlessly
Externally, changes were deliberately modest to protect the site’s setting within the North Devon landscape, ensuring minimal visual impact and alignment with Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) policy principles. The inclusion of accessible parking and level access routes ensures the development remains inclusive and welcoming to all guests.
The site has undergone a complete transformation, creating a unique and tranquil holiday destination that feels firmly rooted in its environment. The development has already proven incredibly popular, with bookings extending years ahead, a testament to its thoughtful design and quality craftsmanship.
Collaboration Makes the Difference
We provided full Architects services seeing the project through from start to finish, working closely with a talented and collaborative project team including Palmer Birch Contractors, JRC Consulting Engineers, Con-Serv Ltd, Gates Consultants, RedBay Design and Torridge District Council.
Peregrine Mears, Director of Peregrine Mears Architects, commented: ”This award is a fantastic recognition of the teamwork and shared vision that has given Northway Court a whole new lease of life.”
If you’re interested in exploring more of our work in this field, take a look at our other hotel and leisure projects, each one reflecting our commitment to design quality, sustainability, and creating memorable destinations.