Moor Lane, Bolton Named on the Housing Design Awards Shortlist 2026
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Moor Lane, Bolton (Phase 1) has been shortlisted in the prestigious Housing Design Awards 2026. This is the first time that AEW has been featured in the awards which recognise innovative design in the residential sector.
Now in their 78th year, the awards are promoted by all three professional institutions – Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) – and the cross-disciplinary judging panel includes experts in every field. This year, Moor Lane was one of the 53 projects shortlisted from 84 entries.
Designed for clients Step Places and Bolton at Home, Moor Lane is a masterplan of 218 sustainable homes, with high quality new public realm in the heart of Bolton. The scheme has regenerated the former bus station site, helped improve connectivity across the town and has played an integral role in the wider transformation of Bolton town centre.
Phase 1 delivers 60 apartments for social rent and open market sale, alongside 44 townhouses for rent to buy and open market sale. The team’s focus on affordability, quality and long-term community benefit has shaped a highly sustainable, mixed-tenure neighbourhood. Energy-efficient, fabric-first homes, combined with thoughtful public spaces and close partnership working, demonstrate how a challenging brownfield site can become an inclusive town centre community.
Associate Director Ben Robinson said: “Moor Lane is an innovative residential project that has transformed a brownfield site into a mixed-tenure community, combining sustainable design with a strong response to its historic context. Phase 1 has delivered a vibrant neighbourhood, offering a diverse range of homes to suit different needs. Being shortlisted for our first Housing Design Award is a testament to the quality of the scheme and the collaborative effort of our client and wider design team.”
We look forward to welcoming judges to Bolton this May.
Read the full Moor Lane, Bolton case study.
