Held on 21 May in Southampton, the awards celebrated people and projects from across the region.
A water transfer and recycling project capable of delivering up to 90 million litres a day during droughts has been named a winner at the 2025 ICE South East awards.
Taking home the Best Project Award for innovation, the Hampshire-based scheme will help to keep the county’s taps and rivers flowing for many generations to come.
The project is a central pillar of the Water for Life – Hampshire programme from Southern Water. The judges celebrated its use of data management on such a large scale.
The annual ICE South East England Engineering Excellence Awards 2025 were a celebration of innovation and transformative impact across the region.
From coastal resilience and digital engineering to inspiring mentorship, the ceremony presented a region that is laying groundwork for a conscious and sustainable future.
ICE President Professor Jim Hall presented the awards to the winners, thanking them for their contribution in making the future of civil engineering more robust and resilient.
Best Infrastructure Project Award – Large
The Southsea Coastal Scheme (sub-frontages 4 & 5), a flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) scheme, took home the Best Infrastructure Project award in the large category.
The UK’s biggest local authority-led scheme of its kind, it stretches 4.5km from Old Portsmouth to Eastney.
Its new defences will reduce the risk of coastal flooding and erosion for more than 10,000 homes, 700 businesses, three legally-protected scheduled monuments and 74 listed structures.
The judges felt that this project went above and beyond its core aim to include zero waste and biodiversity initiatives in the programme. It also demonstrated strong public engagement and positive community feedback.
It was exceptionally well-designed for future enhancement and resilience, adaptive during construction and exceeded expectations for a scheme of this nature.
Best Infrastructure Project Award – Small
The judges were pleased to see that across categories, projects had kept community benefit high up on their agenda.
One such project was Market Street Oxford, which took home the Best Infrastructure Project Award in the small category.
This initiative aimed to revitalise the area to support the historic covered market and enhance the urban public realm, creating a space for people to enjoy the city and relax.
Ther judges appreciated the team’s interaction with the local community to understand their views for the scheme and incorporate them into the design.
Best Project Award – Asset Maintenance
The ABP Solent Gateway – Marine Infrastructure project demonstrated future proofing that helps the built and natural environment, winning it the Best Project Award for asset maintenance.
Solent Freeport in Southampton is currently underused by vessels due to limited marine capacity and infrastructure. The £20 million investment in upgrading and extending the existing Falklands Jetty structure has sought to address this.
The upgrades included corrosion protection to extend their lifespan and that of the overall structure.
The judges appreciated that the works significantly enhanced the capability of the existing asset with limited impact on surrounding areas.
Team of the Year Award
Port of Dover 2050: Empower Exchange won the Team of the Year Award.
Their long-term vision for the UK’s most strategic port included sustainability, digital transformation, and economic development.
Their plan supported national growth while anchoring local prosperity and environmental stewardship.
And the project continuous level of engagement with the local community, residential and commercial, led to its win.
Celebrating the people behind the scenes
Recognising talent across the board, the awards also recognised civil engineers from across the South East.
STEM Ambassador of the Year
Ruth Chapman of Mackley took home the STEM Ambassador of the Year Award.
Her tireless outreach to schools, colleges, and universities has made her an inspiration for young people considering careers in engineering.
The judges celebrated her work with stakeholders, the local community and educational establishments as well as her support for Mackley’s wider STEM ambitions and social value programme.
Rising Star of the Year
Jiahui Chen from Ramboll became this year’s Rising Star of the Year.
His innovative approach to digitalising the design process is streamlining workflows and enhancing collaboration across disciplines.
The judges acknowledged his dedication to including colleagues across diverse teams and engaging with students.
Mentor of the Year
Mentor of the Year was awarded to Dominik Fecher of Mott MacDonald Bentley.
He was recognised for his hands-on style and his willingness to educate and empower his mentees, equipping them to tackle complex challenges.
The judges noted that it was a very strong nomination by someone who clearly values Fecher’s mentorship.
The evening was supported by reception sponsors Waterman Aspen, Berryrange and Balfour Beatty. Along with category sponsor for Team of the Year – Mackley.
The chosen charity for the awards was the ICE Benevolent Fund.
Find out more about the ICE South East England Engineering Excellence Awards 2025 winners.
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