THIS year’s York Design Awards have been cancelled because of the coronavirus.

But organisers have promised that all entries from this year will be rolled over to next year, so no-one will miss out.

This year’s awards were launched last month by Annalie Riches from Sterling Prize award-winning architects Mikhail Riches, the practice which has been commissioned to design hundreds of eco-friendly new homes for York. Judging was due to take place in May with the award ceremony in June.

All entries received by the closing date of March 31 will now be carried forward to next year’s awards.

Ann Reid, Chair of the York Design Awards committee, said: “This decision was not an easy one to make, but a key differentiator of the York Design Awards is that four independent judges travel from across the UK to York and visit each project that is entered for an award. With current restrictions on travel and to ensure everyone’s safety, we felt this (cancelling the 2020 event) was our only option.

“We will be back in January 2021 and will include all of this year’s entries in next year’s awards, which we hope will be bigger and better than ever.”

With eight categories to choose from, the York Design Awards encourage and reward the highest standards of restoration and refurbishment of existing buildings and the best design in new buildings and public spaces in York. Previous winners have included York Art Gallery, The Bothy at Dean’s Garden Centre, Jake’s Treehouse at Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy, Vita Students’ Village on Lawrence Street, The Red Tower at Foss Islands Road, and the Rowntree Park Skate Park.