And the winners are...

The final votes have been counted for the Carbuncle Awards 2008 and Coatbridge Town Centre has been awarded the less-than-coveted title of 'Plook on the Plinth' for Scotland's Most Dismal Place. It was a close-run race between Coabridge, Glasgow's Springfield Quay and two-time Carbuncle winner Cumbernauld.

Also on the winners' list is the new Casino at Glasgow's Springfield Quay which takes the 'Zit Award' for Worst Building and Silverburn Shopping Centre in Pollok which takes the 'Pock Mark Award' for Worst Planning Decision.

The Plook award will prove controversial as local politicians and press have spoken out against the North Lanarkshire town's nomination for Most Dismal Place in Scotland, accusing the organisers of “snobbery”.

Members of the public put forward their nominations for each category during November, from which a panel of judges drew up a shortlist. The final winners have been selected by a public vote.

“Coatbridge could be a great place, it has a proud history and plenty ofpeople living close to its centre. However, poor planning decisions and uninspiring urban design and architecture has destroyed the character of the place. North Lanarkshire Council has made a policy commitment to improve the quality of the built environment. The design of the proposed development on Coatbridge's main street will be a good measure of the council's ambition,” said Prospect editor Penny Lewis.

Make your nominations for next year's Carbuncles here.

The judges were:
• Alan Taylor, Sunday Herald and Scottish Review of Books
• Gordon Young, Publisher
• Penny Lewis, Editor, Prospect and www.architecturescotland.co.uk
• Tom Mower, designer and author of 'Attention Please: A walk interrupted by safety signage'
• Adrian Welch, Architect and director of website edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
• Colette Brodrick, Socialite, Glasgow
Click here to see what the judges had to say.

See the judging in action

The Carbuncles competition was established in 2000 to provoke debate about the poor quality of development in many of Scotland’s towns and cities. Over the past seven years it has become as much a part of Scotland’s public debate as the Holyrood parliament.

The Plook on the Plinth Award for the Most Dismal Town in Scotland is the most coveted of the awards. The first award for ‘Most Dismal Town’ went to Airdrie in North Lanarkshire. The following year the award was given to Cumbernauld one of Scotland’s New Towns. Then the competition took a break, then again in 2005 Cumbernauld came top of the poll. Due to popular demand we are opening nominations for the next award. And the question on everybody’s lips is - Will the country’s best loved, and hated, New Town get a hat-trick?

The website includes an archive of former contenders for the award. Click here if you want to read past nominations.

Prospect Editor Penny Lewis on the Carbuncle Awards:

Scotland on TV

The Results

Behind The Carbuncle Awards

Carbuncles Candidates - see the judging in action

For more on Scottish Architecture visit www.architecturescotland.co.uk

Plook on the Plinth Award
Coatbridge Town Centre: Most Dismal Town in Scotland

Coatbridge – "A dull, depressing, dreary place”

Pock Mark Award
Silverburn Shopping Centre, Pollok: Worst Planning Decision

Silverburn –"...truly awful!”

Zit Building Award
Springfield Quay, Glasgow: Most Disappointing Building

Springfield Quay – “A disastrous addition to the Clydeside regeneration”