It appears that the Colwyn Bay sea defences project has been nominated (by the council?) for a National Urban Design Award:
http://www.udg.org.uk/events/london-and-south-east/national-urban-design-awards-2014The problem is that it's titled under the name "Porth Eirias", which everyone (including the local media and the BBC) understands to mean the non-essential building unaffectionately known to locals as The Skip (aka Monument to Cluenessness in Design & Planning). Unfortunately, the organisers of the award (UDG) think that "Porth Eirias" includes
"sea defence, a promenade, a restored beach & a link to the town".The award would be good
damage control for the council, PR you couldn't buy. But totally misleading given that "Porth Eirias" really refers to the building, not the restored beach, etc. It's ironic given what UDG is trying to promote ("raising standards of urban design", etc) and which Porth Eirias does the exact opposite of (misleading public consulations, Carbuncle Cup shorlisted, still empty and unused two years after original planned opening in "Summer 2012", ill-considered design, unfit for seaside purposes, etc, etc).
It would make more sense if the nomination was for the "Colwyn Bay sea defences and restored beach". Anything but "Porth Eirias".
I think UDG have seen nothing but council PR (their PDF document describing Porth Eirias certainly gives that impression). Perhaps they should be informed of what's really been going on, the scathing press coverage, the even more scathing local public opinion, etc. They're contactable here:
http://www.udg.org.uk/aboutEmail: admin@udg.org.uk