YORK-based Shepherd has won an award for its design of Harrogate Hydro leisure centre.

The Harrogate Borough Council has commended the £450 million turnover engineering, design and construction company for its innovative design, exciting use of space in the pool hall and landscaped design.

Since Harrogate Hydro's fitness suite, caf and three swimming pools opened a year ago attendance figures are more than double the pool it replaced.

Geoff Webber, planning committee chairman presented the Harrogate District Council awards for environmental excellence.

He said: "Our aim is to encourage high standards of design by giving recognition to outstanding projects."

These projects had "not merely produced something that is acceptable, but have contributed positively to their environment."

The Shepherd brief was to design a high quality, imaginative and exciting modern building which would encourage people to exercise. Its innovative roof was designed by Andrew Sharpe and other members of the in-house Shepherd Design team as a wave, good to look at and high enough to give the facility a good diving platform.

Phil Spencer Brown, head of leisure at Shepherd said: "It was a challenge producing a state-of-the-art centre but in a traditional, Harrogate stone setting.

"The Hydro is now probably one of the best combinations of competition and water leisure facilities in the North of England."