Saltburn'S new bandstand is one of five winning projects in Redcar and Cleveland's first ever design awards.

A panel of architects, landscapers, surveyors and planners picked five winners and gave commendations to four other entries.

The competition was organised by Redcar and Cleveland Council's urban design officer, Roger Higgins.

He said: "We wanted developers, architects and the public to think imaginatively about design and work together to create better places to live. These nine examples show that well thought-out development can improve the quality of the borough."

The bandstand in the Valley Gardens was designed and built with money from the Lottery, a grant from the Foundation for Sports and Arts and fundraising by Saltburn 500 Club.

Jackie Taylor, spokeswomen for the club, said: " We are absolutely thrilled with the award. Hundreds of people from all over are coming to listen to music in the bandstand."

Performances are held in the bandstand from May until September on Saturday evenings from 6.30-8pm and on Sunday afternoons from 2.30-4pm.

Also taking top honours was the Old Co-op in Loftus, which was built in 1874.

The supermarket closed in 1986 and much of the building was left empty until renovation work started in 2000, when the building was bought by Loftus Development Trust.

The building is now home to a number of training and business advice organisations, including Business Link, Sure Start and a UK Online centre.

Colin Jubb, from Reid Jubb Brown, the architects responsible for the project, said: "This is a very important building in Loftus. We tried to make it very welcoming and to make the interior of the building visible to people passing by on the street."

Commenting on the building, the judges said the improvement to the appearance of the rear elevation was remarkable.

They said the design had operated within existing constraints, yet had managed to create an area of space that provided a genuine sense of place.

The Innovation Centre, on Kirkleatham's Business Park, also shared the top award. The purpose-built modern office development for UK Steel Enterprises was designed by Stokesley firm, P and H S Architects and was built by Walter Thompson Contractors from Northallerton.

Joe Biggs, from P and H S, said "We are very flattered with the award. The scheme is a really good move in the right direction for Redcar and Cleveland Council."

The judges described it as a project of good quality in scale of materials and design. They said it made a positive contribution to the business park.

Also collecting top honours were the Millennium Green in Grangetown and the Up Front railings, in South Bank.

The four commended projects included the restored and converted old blacksmith's in Eston; 23 modern apartments built in a Victorian/Edwardian style in Zetland Court in Saltburn; the rescue of the nineteenth century Oddfellows Hall in Loftus and Bakehouse Square mural in Guisborough, which was deigned by local children and artist Andrew McKeown.

The mayor, Coun Eric Jackson, and planning committee chairman Coun Helen McLuckie, presented the nine project teams with plaques and certificates at a presentation night at Upsall Hall on Thursday of last week.

Coun McLuckie said: "We congratulate everyone who submitted projects. We're planning to run the scheme again in two years' time and that's a challenge to developers to improve on the standards set by our top nine entries."