Liberal Democrat councillors Eleanor Macy and Lesley Rideout were part of a Harlow Council team at Gateshead International Stadium to receive the APSE Service Award 2007 for the best housing and regeneration initiative.

The council won the award for Mia Court, the self-build scheme on the former Ryecroft garage site run by the Community Self Build agency, and funded in part by the European Social Fund.

During the project, people aged from 17 to 50 learned construction skills to enable them to build ten one-bedroom flats which they now live in on a reduced rent.