The long-awaited Great Notley Discovery Centre has won a top design award - before it has even been built.

The £1.4 million eco-friendly centre has scooped the Environmental Initiative of the Year 2000 prize.

Bad weather has delayed the opening of the centre until October.

The award is the latest in a long line of national accolades for the village of Great Notley.

It follows the success of Notley Green Primary School, which won the Millennium Schools Building of the Year award last month.

The school was built on the same eco-friendly principle as the discovery centre with underfloor heating and walls stuffed with recycled newspaper.

The discovery centre will provide a base for sport, wildlife and the environment. London-based Fulcrum Consulting, the centre's design team, collected the environment initiative award.

It was presented by event sponsors the Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers and the Building Services Journal.

Consulting engineer Trevor Butler said he had to send all the design documentation to the judges: "Most of the building work is done and much of the eco-friendly features are already in place."

"There is a chance that the judges may have paid a site visit and be able to see it in action.

"I think the discovery centre has a whole lot going for it - as a real example of innovative design which we can show off to the whole industry."

The centre is being jointly funded by Braintree Council and Countryside Properties.

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