THE finest new buildings and restoration projects over the past year have been recognised.

Seven plaques were handed out on Tuesday night at the 40th Oxford Preservation Trust Awards, attended by more than 200 people at St Catherine’s College.

Winners included the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which contains an auditorium, a three-floor library, dining hall and mosque. It was officially opened by Prince Charles in May – 15 years after work began on the Marston Road site.

The Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre at Worcester College, officially opened by the Duchess of Cornwall last month, was also a winner in the New Building category.

The residential development at Barns Place in Cowley, which includes some affordable housing and community rooms on the ground floor, was also awarded a coveted plaque.

When it came to the Building Conservation category, two projects were awarded plaques.

The restoration of Corpus Christi Chapel – for the college’s 500th anniversary earlier this year – was one of the winners

GBS Architects said the Grade I-listed chapel had been neglected in recent times and extensive research led to a major project with panelling restored, and monuments and the organ being cleaned. Its timber ceiling and 112 gilded bosses were also cleaned and the chapel restored to its original beauty.

Also recognised in the Building Conservation category was the Jesus College dining hall project, taken on by company Stuart Barr.

This involved extensively restoring and refurbishing the oak panelling, the austere ceiling and notable paintings on the wall.

There were also two winners in the Small Project category – the Swailes Suite flats at the junction of Upper Fisher Row and Hythe Bridge Street, which was saved from demolition, and improved accessibility at Rhodes House in South Parks Road.

Head of capital projects at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Clive Naylor, said: “When we started the project we had quote a lot of opposition to the concept – we had a lot of support as well – but to be recognised with this award is pretty satisfying. The architect Professor Abdel Wahed El-Wakil was tasked with marrying the cultures of Oxford and the Islamic world, people didn’t think that was possible, but he’s genius.”

The team behind the Barns Place affordable housing scheme – Oxford City Council and GreenSquare Group – were also praised for the building’s architecture and sustainability as well as their efforts to aid the city’s housing crisis.

Operations director, Andrew Smith, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the award – it’s a great scheme for Oxford with 50 per cent social housing and the profits from the private flats going back into other housing schemes. It’s great to be recognised for its design as well.”

Oxford Preservation Trust’s director, Debbie Dance, said that in the 40th year of the awards, the standard was getting higher. She said: “This has been an amazing year; 40 years on and we live in an amazing place. The buildings get better and better, and the standard of the conservation is outstanding as the projects at Je sus and Corpus Christi show.

“Surely the wonderful new buildings at Worcester will be valued not just today but in many years to come.

“And let’s not forget our town heritage and the great building on the corner of Fisher Row saved from demolition and now cheering up the street so that we can all enjoy it.”

In addition to the seven plaques, eight certificates were also awarded to:

lJackson Building and Powell and Moya Building annex refurbishment, Corpus Christi College

lOxford University Press B-wing project

lThe White House, Banbury Road

lHawthorne House, Hill Top Road

lThe Berrow Foundation Building, Lincoln College

lOxford Playhouse auditorium refurbishment

lDreaming Spires Walk, Boars Hill

lGardener’s Stores in churchyard of St Peter-in-the-East, St Edmund Hall.

Mrs Dance thanked sponsors Freeths Solicitors, Critchleys Accountants and Carter Jonas incorporating Kemp & Kemp, for making the Oxford Preservation Trust Awards possible.

After readers of the Oxford Mail's sister paper, The Oxford Times, voted for the best project over the 40 years since the awards began in 1977, the winner was revealed as the Oxford Castle Quarter redevelopment.

Out of 40 past projects shortlisted, the £45m revamp of Oxford Castle Quarter in 2007 – attracted 25 per cent of all the votes cast.

In a prize draw of all readers who voted, Alison Bird, from East Oxford, won two tickets to attend the trust awards on Tuesday.