However, it was saved from being destroyed, carefully restored and is one of two buildings to receive an award from the panel of seven judges, who spent a day visiting 25 short listed schemes from an initial 70 entries.
The Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College, in Woodhouse, claimed the New Build prize for its contemporary design in a ‘sensitive landscape’.
Four other projects were highly commended and 12 commended in the five categories – new building, conservation, landscape, streetscape and special awards.
The Design Awards, which have been established since 1983, are held every two years and they have made a valuable contribution to raising public awareness of local design and conservation issues.
Cllr Jill Vincent, Charnwood Borough Council’s Design Champion, said: “The judging panel faced a tough decision this year as there were so many high-quality entries – but both winners fully deserved the accolade of receiving a Design Award as it’s clear they’ve placed a high value on how their buildings look.
“Limehurst House is quite a jewel in Loughborough’s crown but fell into a state of disrepair and was almost demolished.
“It has been carefully restored to its former glory and the amount of work that has gone into it demonstrates the owner’s passion and love for the building.
“The Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College is a large development but does not look out of place in what is a sensitive landscape next to Beaumanor Hall and on the edge of Charnwood Forest.
“Designers working on this project were given a complicated brief but the results are magnificent and they have handled it extremely well.”
Cllr Vincent was joined on the judging panel by Cllr Debbie Green, Tony Foord, of the Loughborough and District Civic Trust, Mike Taylor, from the Royal Town Planning Institute, Keith Hamilton, from the Royal Institute of British Architects, Phil Rech, representing the Landscape Institute, and Loughborough Echo Editor Andy Rush.
The full list of award winners is:
CONSERVATION:
Award winner: Limehurst House, Loughborough
Highly Commended: The Grange, Shepshed
Commended: Barley Mow, Loughborough
NEW BUILD:
Award Winner: Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College, Woodhouse
Highly Commended: Civil Engineering Building, Loughborough University
Commended: Hartington Street, Loughborough; Aldi Store, Syston
LANDSCAPE:
Highly Commended: Welbeck Defence Sixth Form Centre, Woodhouse; Village Park, Thurmaston
Commended: Sundial, Central Park Syston; Grange Park, Loughborough; Millennium Park Sundial, Barrow upon Soar
STREETSCAPE:
Commended: High Street, Sileby; Kirkhill, Shepshed
SPECIAL AWARD:
Commended: Woodhouse Village Design Statement; Woodhouse Eaves Village Design Statement
A prize-giving ceremony will be held in December when the award winners will be presented with plaques and certificates, while certificates are given to the highly commended and commended projects.