Bovis Lend Lease stormed to victory in the Construction Manager of the Year Awards this week, scooping the overall title on top of other awards.

Paul Sims, a Bovis project director, won the overall prize for his work on Paternoster Square, London. Bovis also won the PFI and major fit-out categories.

Sims’ winning project, the £166m construction of three buildings at a new public square in the city of London, was picked ahead of Gary Clifford, Skanska’s project director on the Swiss Re tower.

Sims impressed judges by turning around the project’s fortunes. When he was appointed, six months into the development, he introduced separate building and trades programmes for all teams, which boosted morale and safety.

Sims’ success was shared by his colleague Victor Richardson, who came top in the PFI category for his work on Hexham General Hospital, Northumbria. Richardson was praised for co-ordinating the £27m extension work.

Bovis’ success continued in the fit-out and refurbishment over £15m category: Paul Harding took the prize for a £27m office project for McGraw Hill in London’s Docklands.

David Cope, a project manager for Bellwinch Homes, scooped a top award in the housing sector, ahead of representatives from Bewley Homes, George Wimpey and Countryside. Cope was rewarded for his hands-on involvement in a £15m development in Weymouth.

Exterior’s Flan McNamara won the above-four-storeys residential category for Foster and Partners’ £110m apartment block in Albion Riverside, London. McNamara ran on-site English classes for foreign workers on Saturday afternoons.

Other winners were Glen Clements of Dean & Dyball in the £3-15m new-build category; David Jones, of T Richard Jones (BETWS) for a new project under £3m; and Bob Hill of Interior for a £3-15m fit-out and refurbishment. Steve Eades of Spectrum Projects won in the fit-out and refurbishment under £3m category. The sport and leisure prize was won by Tony Mingoia of Kier.