THE £35m extension to Swindon’s Designer Outlet shopping centre has been named among the region’s best new buildings.

The project has been shortlisted in the Building Conservation category of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) South West Awards, putting it head-to-head with major schemes.

The 50,000 sq ft extension of the Grade II-listed Long Shop has attracted a number of new retail brands to the site, such as Coast and relocated existing occupiers Next and Marks & Spencer.

It has also expanded the centre’s food offering, with national chains Giraffe and Soho Coffee Co, as well as creating around 350 jobs.

Eight category winners and a project of the year will be selected from the 42 shortlisted entries to the awards.

The winners from the Building Conservation, Community Benefit, Infra-structure, Design through Innovation and Regeneration categories will then be invited to represent the South West and compete against projects from across the rest of the UK at the overall RICS Awards in London.

The Outlet extension will compete with aerospace giant Airbus’s refurbished Pegasus House at its plant in Filton and four other schemes.

RICS South regional director Lynn Robinson said: “The quality of entries received this year is truly outstanding and clearly demonstrates the fantastic work being carried out by property professionals.

“There is a wealth and variety of inspirational new projects and regenerated developments, I am sure it will be a challenging judging process.”

Judging for the awards will take place this spring with the RICS South West Awards ceremony held at the Bristol Marriott Hotel, on May 21.

Hosting the South West Awards is BBC presenter Alex Lovell, with the national ceremony set to take place in London in October.

The RICS South West Awards 2015 showcase the most inspirational regional initiatives and developments in land, property, construction and the environment. The Long Shop regeneration led to the centre enjoying a record breaking Christmas.