East Midland Bricks Awards: What does good development leave behind?

The best property developments are never just about buildings. They shape how people move through a place. How communities connect. How businesses grow. How high streets feel. How families live. How land is used, protected, restored or reimagined.

That is why the East Midlands Bricks Awards matter. At least in our eyes. Granted, we may have a slightly skewed point of view, given our Head Honch Alex studied Architecture, Planning and the Built Environment, but places do genuinely matter - and property, be that commercial, public or residential, is what physically makes a place.

Returning for their eleventh year on Thursday 15 October at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham, the East Midlands Bricks Awards celebrate the people, projects and businesses shaping the built environment across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire.

For 2026, Knapton Wright is proud to be supporting the awards once again by sponsoring the Sustainable Development of the Year category.

It is a category that feels especially relevant now, as well as to us as an agency. Across the region, developers, architects, contractors, planners, consultants and suppliers are being asked to think beyond delivery alone. The question is no longer simply what are we building? But also, who is it for, what will it change, and what will it leave behind?

Sustainable development is often discussed in technical terms: materials, carbon, energy performance, biodiversity, water use, waste, transport and long-term efficiency. All of that matters. But sustainability is also deeply human.

It is about creating places that people can use well, live well in and feel connected to. It is about making decisions with longevity. It is about recognising that every project, whether large or small, has a ripple effect on its surroundings.

At Knapton Wright, much of our work sits where people, place and purpose meet. We help organisations understand what they stand for, communicate the value of their work and tell clearer stories about the difference they make. In sectors like property, construction and regeneration, that clarity matters.

A good project may be carefully planned, technically impressive and commercially strong. But if the story of its impact is not told well, some of its value can be missed.

The Bricks Awards give businesses across the East Midlands a platform to share that value. They create space to recognise not only the finished schemes, but the thinking, collaboration and commitment behind them.

For teams considering entering, the strongest submissions will do more than describe what was delivered. They should explain why it mattered.

What challenge did the project respond to?

What choices were made along the way?

How were people, communities or landscapes considered?

What evidence shows the project has made, or will make, a positive difference?

In sustainable development, the detail is important, but the story is just as important. Judges need to understand the intent behind the work, the trade-offs made, the standards upheld and the outcomes achieved.

As Alex Wright, Head Honcho at Knapton Wright, said:

“Sponsoring the Bricks Awards again for 2026 feels like the right way to support a sector that literally shapes how we live, work and build for the future. Sustainable Development of the Year is a natural fit with the people and planet focus we champion at Knapton Wright. It is about recognising work that makes places stronger, fairer and more future-ready, not just for today but for the long term.”

The East Midlands has a diverse and ambitious built environment sector. From major developments to smaller supply chain businesses, from established firms to emerging teams with fresh ideas, there is work happening across the region that deserves to be seen, understood and celebrated.

Awards are not just about winning. They are an opportunity to pause, gather evidence, reflect on what has been achieved and explain why it matters. For a sector that has such a lasting influence on the places around us, that reflection feels important.

Nominations for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2026 close on Thursday 20 August.

If your project has made a meaningful contribution to sustainable development in the East Midlands, now is the time to share it. Enter the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2026

Want to know more? Find out what we think about awards: https://www.knaptonwright.co.uk/killer-marketing-services-and-support-to-get-you-growing/and-the-winner-is___award-entries-and-packages/