THE award-winning Selby architects whose controversial plans for a £41 million redevelopment of York's Barbican site have been approved, today continued to defend their project.

The Government decided not to call in the plans by Selby architect's practice DWA, which involve a 127-bedroom four-star hotel and 240 residential apartments, as well as a £2.5 million improvement of the Barbican auditorium.

Project leader Mel Fairbourn-Varley said the layout of buildings on the 7.5 acres opposite the city walls had been carefully arranged "to generate a naturalistic landscape and mounded buffer between the residential development and Barbican Road and is set well back to respect the existing cottages on the eastern side".

In this case the residential building would evoke qualities of Victorian detail, and the "use of vibrancy, colour and transparency" within the hotel design would contrast with the Barbican on its western aspect.

While the architectural language was intended to be 21st century, the range of colour and material used would instil a sense the historic city, he said.

The statement is in DWA Architect' submission for the Evening Press Business of the Year Awards, in which it is attempting to regain the Progress Through People title it won in 2000 and is also pitching for the Growth Business of the Year.

The firm which was one of the first architectural practices in the UK to have achieved the Investors In People status, has its head office in Park Street, Selby, a regional office in Warrington and city offices in London and Glasgow.

It was started by managing director David Ward in 1988 and now has six directors and three associate directors.

The practice also provides quantity surveying, civil and structural engineering services and planning consultancy in-house and, in 2001, gained ISO 9001 quality management systems certification.

Sustained growth over the past year has meant doubling to 60 its staff of architects, CAD technicians, 3-D image specialists, interior architects and landscape designers. It also meant expanding by a third its head office at Delacy House in Selby to create a 1,500 sq ft studio extension. All for the benefit of up to 12 architects and technicians.

Recent projects include the 16,000 sq ft Community House in Selby to Selby District voluntary services, fitting out the new 55,000 sq ft Passport Office in Liverpool and a number of apartments in and around London.

Updated: 09:08 Thursday, July 29, 2004