With nine special awards, 41 awards, 53 commendations and 38 mentions it would have been extraordinary if stone had not featured among the projects recognised in this year\'s Civic Trust Awards, presented at a glittering ceremony sponsored by the British Cement Association and The Concrete Centre in the At-Bristol complex at the end of March.

The Special Awards in this two-yearly series that began in 1959 are the highest accolade and they included some of the best stone projects of the past three years.

The Urban Design Award, sponsored by the ODPM, went to the Millennium Quarter of Manchester, an area rebuilt after the IRA bombing of 1996 using sandstone paving and walling and slate water features.

The Hard Landscaping Award, sponsored by Charcon, went to the World Squares for All project at Trafalgar Square, where Stonewest did so much work in Cornish DeLank granite.

And the Northern Ireland Public Realm Award, sponsored by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, went to the New Bar Library, where S McConnell & Sons were the specialists for Portland limestone walling and flooring.

Vivienne Newlands, Civic Trust Awards manager, said: "The Civic Trust Awards prove not just that high quality, inclusive development exists, but that we do not need to settle for anything less.

A full list of all the winners is available on the Civic Trust website: