The civic society hands out awards and commendations to a variety of developments each year, which it feels are worthy of commendation, and stand out as good examples of developments or building improvements which are sympathetic to the local surroundings. The society encourages nominations from members of the public and is keen to recognise good examples of new design in Ilkley.

This year there were around 20 nominations in the three awards categories, covering design, conservation and improvement projects.

Civic Society vice-president John Finney presented the accolade to the owners of Westwood Lodge, Tim Edwards and Paula Hunt, at a special ceremony.

Westwood Lodge is a Victorian country house with courtyard cottages, standing on the edge of Ilkley Moor. Much of the house was built in 1875 with some additions in 1890. It was the private residence of a Leonard Horner, and later major Bradford mill owner Edward Briggs.

Westwood Lodge had several changes of use in the 20th Century, including housing Eastern European refugees in the Second World War, becoming a convalescent home, and later housing a College of Housecraft. The Lodge was renamed The Glenmoor Centre in 1989, and was used as a training facility and holiday cottages by the local authority.

It was bought by Tim and Paula in 1998, who set about restoring the Grade II Listed building, uncovering historic features which had been hidden under concrete and carpets.

The Old Gallery is the latest part of the building to undergo restoration. It was originally built as a picture gallery for a large private art collection, with a glass roof. This was later felted over while the building was part of Ilkley College.

Modern building regulations meant the glass roof could not be replaced, but the gallery was instead stripped down of its modern additions and beams and a Yorkshire slate roof added. The gallery had been used as a conference room before Westwood Lodge gave up on the conference centre facility - a casualty of the 2001 foot and mouth disease crisis which led to much of the countryside being closed off.

It has now been fitted out to a nine-person holiday cottage with wheelchair access and facilities, and as well as gaining a sought-after Five Star rating from Tourist Board inspectors, the Old Gallery became the first self-catering accommodation in the Bradford District to meet M2 mobility standards.

The Civic Society said the conversion had been sensitive and original features were preserved and enhanced.

Mr Edwards hopes the restoration of the Old Gallery will give it a new lease of life for future generations, and inspire others to restore and make disabled access possible in historic Victorian buildings.

He said: "It's really great when your hard work in terms of restoration of a listed building, and undoubtedly hard work goes in, is appreciated by a body such as the civic society. We've been working on this job for eight years."

Disabled guests staying at the Old Gallery has told Mr Edwards this was the first chance they had had to stay in the Ilkley area. The completion of work on the Old Gallery also marked the culmination of the Edwards' restoration of Westwood Lodge.