COPELAND Council’s planning team, and property developers BEC, have been chosen as finalists in a national awards scheme.

Last year the Bus Station development in Whitehaven won three awards in the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) regional awards ceremony.

Now it has been nominated as a finalist for the national level of the awards, in the ‘Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture’ and ‘Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy’ categories.

Copeland's elected mayor, Mike Starkie, said: “To have been nominated as a finalist in the national segment of these awards is just incredible.

“It’s an absolute testament to the team members involved, the developers BEC, and all the partners in this sensitive and innovative project.

“We will continue to support transformative projects like this one, that regenerate our towns and make us proud. I congratulate everyone who has been involved, and have my fingers crossed for the awards ceremony in November.”

READ MORE: The Bus Station development in Whitehaven celebrated after award wins

Part of the North Shore Scheme, the Bus Station development on Bransty Row houses office space for established businesses and start-ups, and ‘The Peddler’, a 125-seat restaurant. The £8.2m North Shore project has been led by BEC, with partners including Copeland Borough Council and Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners. Sellafield Ltd contributed £5.7m of Social Impact Multiplied funding towards the project.

Michael Pemberton, chief executive officer of property developers BEC, said: "We are incredibly proud of our development. People came together, with passion and tenacity, to make something happen in our area.

"To redevelop a building is one thing, but to give a beating heart to it, well that’s where the magic sits - and in the Bus Station we have been able to do just that.

"This is for our community, now and tomorrow. We have been incredibly blessed to work with so many fantastic local firms, from Sellafield, and Thomas Armstrong in the construction, through to Osprey for the Peddler and Barclays Eagle Labs for the amazing offices and co-working spaces.

"After receiving three RTPI awards earlier in the year, being selected on the national level is very special indeed, and just reward for everyone who made the Bus Station development a reality."

READ MORE: See inside: Whitehaven's £8.2million Bus Station development officially opens