A DURHAM City housing project has won a prestigious award for its period design.

This year's City of Durham Trust's award was open to all buildings completed or restored in the Durham area last year.

Yesterday, the trust announced that its top accolade of the year had gone to the Highgate housing development at the city centre's Framwellgate Peth.

The sloping site below the railway station had been allocated for infill by the planning authorities since its clearance in the 1960s.

After more than 30 years, the site was finally brought to life with a distinctive residential development.

The trust said: "The scheme eschews any attempt at modern interpretation or experiment. Instead, its motif is the unashamed replication of the Durham Georgian townhouse.

"Success stems from its authenticity, allied to sensitivity to site and context.

"Its Georgian harmony pervades in a composition where there is subtle variation in brick render, roof height together with detailing of ridgeline and chimney, fenestration and portal."

The trust also described the development's impact on the city: "Houses lining Castle Chare, together with the new footbridge, link the area, both functionally and visually to St Godric's and the City centre."

Project architect Shelia Hyland welcomed the award, which she attributed to a strong team effort on behalf of all involved.

She described how, after consultations with English Heritage and the Royal Fine Arts, it had been decided to replicate the Georgian designs seen in other parts of the City, such as the Bailey and Claypath.

"It involved a lot of hardwork and research which we believe has proved very successful on this very sensitive site," said Mrs Hyland.

The award will be presented on Saturday, March 5, in the city's Alington House.