The chief executive of the property firm behind plans for the Buzz Station in Whitehaven has been shortlisted for an award.

Michael Pemberton, who runs profit-for-purpose property firm BEC has been nominated in the Transformational Leader category in the first Northern Leadership awards.

BEC changed from a publicly-funded organisation to a commercial entity three years ago.

Mr Pemberton, who is also shortlisted in the Businessperson of the Year category at the prestigious in-Cumbria Business Awards, which will be held in Carlisle in November.

Mr Pemberton said: “I am proud to be the leader of a wonderful company based in Cleator Moor whose purpose is to deliver significant property based development for West Cumbria.

"It’s safe to say I am bowled over and incredibly humbled by the news.

"A tremendous amount of hard work and dedication from the team, the board and our owners has led to the wholesale transformation of BEC over the past years and I am hugely grateful to everyone who has supported us on the journey so far.

"For us, it’s a journey that still has many miles to run.”

Winners will be revealed on November 28th at a ceremony in Leeds. h

BEC, which also operates Westlakes Science Park at Moor Row, is behind the ambitious North Shore scheme for Whitehaven, which includes the Buzz Station development in the former bus station.

The Buzz Station will be Cumbria’s premier digital and creative hub, BEC says.

It will combine flexible working space and artisan food offering to become a cutting-edge home of innovation, disruption and imagination at Whitehaven’s North Shore. Sellafield Ltd are supporting the Buzz Station with strategic support and £2.6m investment.

The former Stagecoach offices next door will be transformed into the Watershed, a base for start-ups.

Work on the bus station and offices is currently being carried out by Thomas Armstrong.

The wider North Shore scheme proposes a four-star hotel, multi-storey car park and around 75,000 sq ft office development that will sit alongside the Buzz Station.