Swansea Hub Y Storfa Crowned RICS Wales Award Winner 2026

Key Points

• Y Storfa, Swansea Hub has been named RICS Wales Project of the Year 2026 and also won the Public Sector Project category.
• The award was announced at a ceremony in Cardiff, held at The Parkgate Hotel.
• The hub is a refurbishment of the former BHS building in Swansea city centre, part of Swansea Council’s £1bn regeneration programme.
• It combines libraries, employment support, archives, learning spaces and community facilities under one roof.
• Only Welsh projects that win at the regional awards go forward to the RICS UK Grand Final on 22 October 2026.
• Other Welsh winners:
  • Canolfan Pentre Awel, Llanelli – Community Benefit project
  • Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil – Refurbishment/Revitalisation project
  • Sker House, Porthcawl – Heritage project
  • Caerphilly Castle Regeneration Project – highly commended in Heritage.
• Kerry Gibbs MRICS, UK National Awards Chair, said the awards spotlight “the most inspiring people, projects and innovations shaping the built and natural environment” and promote the role of surveying.
• The project benefits residents, families, learners, jobseekers and local businesses, acting as a “vibrant civic anchor” for long‑term community wellbeing.

Swansea (Wales Times) July 14, 2026 – Y Storfa, uk/local/swansea/">Swansea Hub, has been crowned RICS Wales Project of the Year 2026, in addition to taking the Public Sector Project trophy, at the RICS Awards 2026 in Wales, announced at a ceremony in Cardiff on 13 July 2026.

The project, delivered as part of Swansea Council’s £1bn regeneration programme, converted the former BHS building in Swansea city centre into a multi‑functional community hub that brings libraries, employment support, archives, learning spaces and community facilities together under one roof.

A second Welsh winner in the heritage field was Sker House, Porthcawl, while Caerphilly Castle Regeneration Project was “highly commended” in the same category, according to the official list of winners released after the event at The Parkgate Hotel.

As reported by the RICS UK Awards communications team, the winners at each regional ceremony will now represent their region at the UK Grand Final on Thursday 22 October 2026, with Y Storfa among the Welsh entries heading to that national stage.

What Is Y Storfa and Why Has It Won RICS Wales Project of the Year?

Y Storfa is described by the awards organisers as a “transformative community hub created through the refurbishment of the former BHS building in Swansea city centre”. The project is being delivered under Swansea Council’s wider £1bn regeneration programme, which aims to revitalise key urban locations and strengthen the city’s cultural and educational offer.

The design places accessibility, sustainability and social connection at the centre, according to the official project summary released after the awards. Rather than simply restoring a vacant retail site, the scheme re‑purposes the building as a civic anchor that concentrates a range of public services in one location.

Which Services Are Now Available at the Hub?

The hub brings together under one roof:

• Libraries
• Employment support
• Archives
• Learning spaces
• Community facilities

These elements are intended to serve a broad cross‑section of users, including residents, families, learners, jobseekers and local businesses. The RICS campaign material describes the site as a “vibrant civic anchor that supports long‑term community wellbeing”.

Who Decided the Winners and How Were the RICS Wales Awards Structured?

What Is the RICS UK Awards Framework?

The RICS UK Awards are designed to showcase “the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure”, recognising outstanding achievement, teamwork and companies. The process works through regional awards in each of the 12 RICS regions, with winners at each regional level progressing to a national Grand Final.

The Wales ceremony was one of these regional events, held at The Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff. The full list of Welsh winners was announced at that event and subsequently published by RICS.

Which Categories Were Available in Wales?

The Wales awards included at least the following categories, based on the official winners list:

• Project of the Year (overall)
• Public Sector project
• Community Benefit project
• Refurbishment/Revitalisation project
• Heritage project

Y Storfa was the only project in Wales to win both the overall Project of the Year and the Public Sector project trophy.

Why Do the RICS Awards Matter for Surveyors and Communities?

Kerry Gibbs MRICS, UK National Awards Chair, said:

“These Awards shine a spotlight on the most inspiring people, projects and innovations shaping the built and natural environment, creating a powerful platform that elevates the profile of chartered surveying and celebrates its impact on communities nationwide.”

She added that the awards “help demonstrate the positive impact that surveyors, as well as buildings, have on individuals and communities” and “promote the role of surveying in making those projects a reality”.u

What Scale of Entries Did the Awards Receive in 2026?

According to the same statement from Kerry Gibbs, the 2026 cycle received over 300 entries across all twelve of the RICS regions. This high volume of submissions underlines the national reach of the awards and the diversity of projects competing for recognition.

Which Other Welsh Projects Won RICS Awards in 2026?

The official list of Welsh winners included:

• Canolfan Pentre Awel, Llanelli – Community Benefit project
• Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil – Refurbishment/Revitalisation project
• Sker House, Porthcawl – Heritage project
• Caerphilly Castle Regeneration Project – highly commended in the heritage category

Each of these projects represents a different aspect of the built environment: community infrastructure, health facilities, heritage conservation and large‑scale regeneration.

What Does “Highly Commended” Mean?

In the RICS awards framework, “highly commended” is typically used to acknowledge projects that did not win a trophy but were judged to be of exceptional quality. The Caerphilly Castle Regeneration Project received this distinction in the heritage category, indicating that it was seen as a standout submission even though it did not take the top prize.

How Will Welsh Winners Progress to the RICS UK Grand Final?

Winners at each regional awards ceremony, including the Wales event, will “represent their region at the UK Grand Final on Thursday 22nd October”. This means Y Storfa, along with the other Welsh category winners, will be considered again in a national competition.

The Grand Final brings together the best regional entries from all 12 RICS regions, raising the level of scrutiny and the stature of the competition.

When and Where Will the Grand Final Take Place?

The UK Grand Final is scheduled for Thursday 22 October 2026. The exact venue for the Grand Final was not specified in the initial Wales announcement, but the event will be a separate national ceremony where the regional winners compete for UK‑level trophies.

Background: The Development of Y Storfa, Swansea Hub

Y Storfa is part of Swansea Council’s £1bn regeneration programme, a long‑term investment strategy aimed at transforming key parts of the city centre. The former BHS building had been vacant for several years, representing both a visual and economic gap in a high‑profile location.

The council’s approach involved converting the structure into a multi‑use community hub rather than a single‑purpose facility. By concentrating libraries, employment support, archives and learning spaces in one building, the scheme aims to:

• Increase footfall and activity in the city centre.
• Improve access to public services for people who might otherwise travel to multiple locations.
• Create a sustainable, energy‑efficient use of an existing building rather than new construction.

The project’s design and delivery have been overseen by a team of surveyors, planners, architects and construction professionals working under the council’s regeneration framework. The RICS awards recognise such cross‑professional teamwork and the role of chartered surveyors in shaping the built environment.

Prediction: How This Award Can Affect Swansea Residents, Jobseekers and Local Businesses

What Immediate Benefits Might the Award Bring?

Winning RICS Wales Project of the Year significantly raises the visibility of Y Storfa, both locally and nationally. As reported by RICS UK Awards, the awards “celebrate [projects’] impact on communities nationwide” and “elevate the profile of chartered surveying”. For Swansea, this heightened profile can:

• Encourage further investment in the city centre, as developers and partners see the hub as a successful model.
• Strengthen the council’s reputation when bidding for additional regeneration funding.
• Boost confidence among local users that the hub is a high‑quality, well‑managed facility.

For residents and families, this could translate into more events, better‑maintained services and a stronger sense of civic pride centred on the hub.

How Could Jobseekers and Learners Benefit?

Because the hub provides employment support, learning spaces and archives, the award may lead to:

• Increased demand from external organisations to use the facilities, potentially expanding the range of job‑related programmes.
• More partnerships with training providers, universities and local enterprises, given the project’s national recognition.
• Greater awareness among jobseekers that these services are available in one accessible location, possibly increasing uptake.

For learners, the hub’s status as an award‑winning project may encourage more schools, colleges and community groups to organise visits, workshops and collaborative projects.

What Impact Could This Have on Local Businesses?

Local businesses may benefit in several ways:

• Increased footfall from visitors drawn to a recognised “best in Wales” civic building.
• Opportunities to collaborate on events, training or enterprise support delivered through the hub.
• A stronger narrative for Swansea as a regenerate city, which can improve the overall business environment and attractiveness for new enterprises.

The award does not guarantee specific new services, but it reinforces the hub’s role as a vibrant civic anchor that supports long‑term community wellbeing, as described in the official project statement. Over time, this can help sustain and expand the economic and social benefits that Y Storfa already provides.