Inaugural Oxfordshire Property Festival draws to a close with special awards ceremony

Property professionals and business leaders from across the county celebrated a ‘thriving sector’ last night (18 April) as the inaugural Oxfordshire Property Festival drew to a close with the Oxfordshire Property Awards.

The awards – presented by BBC arts editor Will Gompertz – commended the best talent within the property industry through a host of award categories at a special event at Oxford’s Bodleian Library.

The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) partnered with event organisers UK Property Forums to create the first-ever property festival within the county.

The event saw dozens of delegates gather at two of Oxford’s most-famous locations – the Bodleian Library and Corpus Christi College – and featured walks property discussions and debate.

The new festival’s property walk followed routes across the city with delegates taking a look at major projects – either completed or currently under development – right across Oxford including the recently reopened Westgate Oxford.

The Oxfordshire Property Awards winners were:

• Award for Best Property Consultant (sponsored by MEPC) – Carter Jonas
• Award for Best Housing Development (sponsored by Barton Wilmore) – Elmsbrook North West Bicester
• Award for Most Innovative and Enterprising Working Environment (sponsored by Handelsbanken) – The Foundry Oxford 
• Award for Best Housing Solution for Oxfordshire (sponsored by Strutt&Parker) – Kiss House Sandpath
• Award for Best Use of Land (sponsored by Bidwells) – Bicester Heritage
• Award for Project of the Year (sponsored by Blake Morgan) – Quad One Harwell Campus
• Award for Project of the Year (sponsored by Kier) – Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre Worcester College Oxford
• Futures Award (sponsored by Peter Brett Associates) – Hannah Smart West Waddy ADP
• Award for Property Leader of the Year (sponsored by Brook Street Des Roches) – James Dipple MEPC

It is hoped the Oxfordshire Property Festival – and its associated Oxfordshire Property Awards – will become an annual event for the county.

Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive of OxLEP – said: “We were delighted to partner with UK Property Forums to showcase the world-class investment opportunities that exist across Oxfordshire and celebrate property success within the county at the same time.

“It’s been great to be a part of the first-ever Oxfordshire Property Festival and celebrate this thriving sector and its importance within the county and beyond.’’

Matthew Battle – Managing Director at UK Property Forums – added: “The Oxfordshire Property Festival was a great opportunity to recognise a diverse range of highly-impressive projects from across the Oxfordshire property market.

“We are very pleased to have created an event that brought the property community together.”

For more informationgo to: oxpropfest.com.

*Pictured: Matthew Battle – Managing Director of UK Property Forums