David Pretty was named regeneration champion of the year at Building’s 2006 Regeneration awards this week.

The outgoing chief executive of Barratt Developments picked up the award last Monday night in front of 1,000 people at the Grosvenor House hotel in central London. Pretty (pictured flanked by David Atherton, a partner at award sponsor Peter Brett Associates, and Denise Chevin, Building editor) was praised for “raising awareness with the government of regeneration issues”.

Other winners included urban planning and design practice Urban Initiatives, which was presented with two awards, for innovation of the year and regeneration consultant of the year.

The Arsenal regeneration project, led by consultant Hepher Dixon, won the prize for best mixed-use regeneration project.

Gardner Stewart Architects won the regeneration architect of the year category for schemes such as Park Central in Birmingham.