What better Easter present for a team of housebuilding professionals than a prestigious award for a job well done.

Three cottages built on the site of the old Post Office in the village conservation area close to the common at Downley have been voted the best new small housing development across six counties.

The row of three brick and flint terraced houses built by a local family-owned company called Christine Homes has won the regional heats in its category for this year’s Local Authority Building Excellence Awards.

It was one of 53 projects shortlisted for the regional titles in the area covering Bucks, Berks, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire.

The LABC (Local Authority Building Control) awards are presented each year for schemes which have benefitted from the close liaison of all those who have had an input in the successful results. The advice of a clued-up operator in building control at an early stage of a project can have a positive effect on the outcome from the word go.

A spokesman for Wycombe Council which belongs to the LABC network of 3,000 professionals in the building industry confirmed: “Winners [of this competition] are judged on excellence in construction….they have to show judges the ‘X’ factor in producing new and creative solutions and excellent teamwork on a project.”

Craig Gray, managing director of Christine Homes is over the moon. The Princes Risborough-based building company he established in 2008 is named after his mum who lives in Downley. He says she is excited as he is about The Old Post Office development winning the regional title.

The two and three bedroom cottages he built are on the corner of the High Street and Plomer Green Lane.

“It’s a real honour for us to win such a well known and prestigious industry award especially against such stiff competition. It’s a testament to everyone involved from planning and design through to the final construction of the project,” said the builder.

Councillor David Johncock, Wycombe’s cabinet member for planning and sustainability, loves a success story on his patch. “This is a real pat on the back for us,” he whooped. “Award winning projects like these are the result of our staff working in real partnership with architects, surveyors and builders and demonstrating a very high standard of professionalism and innovation.

“I have to say I think the final result is brilliant.”