Coastline has scooped a major national housing award for an architecturally stunning social housing development in Falmouth.

The design of the Spinnakers development is so outstanding that it has drawn praise for Cornwall-based Coastline Housing for its visual appeal as well as its 'outstanding' attention to quality and detail.

More than 200 local people registered an interest in buying the 19 unit, £2.8 million development in picturesque Falmouth, before it was even completed.

The Spinnakers' unique appeal beat off challenges from 19 rival developments around the country, to land Coastline the Social Housing Development of the Year accolade in the Premier Guarantee Excellence Awards.

Coastline's chief executive, Robert Nettleton, said: 'It is rare for a housing association to use contemporary architecture for a development created for mixed tenure, but this development had a prime audience in mind: young, local, discerning workers who wanted to live in this desirable area and deserved an affordable option.

'We have demonstrated that social housing can offer standards of design and quality that are equal to anything in the private sector.

''The response to the development was phenomenal and for Premier Guarantee to have singled us out for these awards is a testament to it. We are thrilled.'

The Spinnakers consists of 19 apartments, three open market penthouse apartments, 14 shared ownership and two affordable rented apartments.

The award scheme was launched to recognise the most innovative, high quality developments and developers in the UK construction market and are seen as a benchmark for the construction sector.

Peter Bennett, business development director at Premier Guarantee, said: 'Our judges were extremely impressed with Coastline Housing's development.

'As well as being an absolutely fantastic site to look at, it was the use of innovative materials, design and build quality that stood out.

'There were a number of excellent sites in this category but Coastline Housing definitely deserved to come out on top.'

Truro and Falmouth MP Sarah Newton, who performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the development in August, said of the award: 'This is fantastic news.

'it is a really lovely development which is providing local people with good quality and good value housing.

'I was very impressed when I saw it first hand at the opening.'