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 Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter has praised the county's architects for their 'stunning' designs.
He told industry experts at the Kent Design Awards that the county was facing a massive challenge with the building of 6,000 new homes a year for the foreseeable future."As the strategic authority, Kent has a vital role in shaping a place for people to come and live, work and enjoy.
"There is an enormous number of exciting opportunities going on in the Kent economy which should keep us all busy in the next few years. We are so lucky to have so many able building contractors, good professional design teams and architects' practices producing some 'stunning' designs across the county," he said.
In particular, Mr Carter said KCC is finalising the start of a £1.8billion Building Schools for the Future programme by rebuilding or refurbishing every secondary school in the county.
 After a two-year absence, the awards attracted 49 entries - many of them designed by Kent architects - which showed that Kent really was in the forefront of contemporary architecture. They included a hospital, a football stadium, two churches, a judo club and a country park visitor centre.
Ward Homes' development of two apartment blocks at Sandling Park, Maidstone, won the housebuilding category with its 'attractive' curved design by London-based architects Child Graddon Lewis.
In the same category, there was a special award for best individual house for Darren Ellis' home at 99 Sea Street, Westgate, with its telescope room, basement cinema and 6,000 square feet of living space.
The public building award was won by Gravesham Community Project, a £23million hospital combining a minor injuries unit, outpatient department and accommodation for elderly, long-stay patients designed by Steffian Bradley Architects.
 Dartford FC's new Princes Park stadium was runner-up (Alexander Sedgley), and there were special awards to Strode Park re-ability centre in Herne for the best healthcare project (Claque Architects), and to Gravesham Borough Council's eye-catching public conveniences in Parrock Street for the best small building (Plastik Architects).
Shepway District Council and architect Brook Hobbins' transformation of 'a wilderness' into the Lower Leas coastal park on Folkestone seafront won the landscaping category, and there was a special award for Oare gunpowder works at Faversham (Groundwork Kent and Medway).
Other category award winners were:
• sustainable design and construction - The Pines Calyx, St Margaret's Bay, near Dover (Helionix Designs)
• building renovation - the Drill Hall and Pilkington buildings at Chatham Maritime (RMJM)
• commercial, industrial and retail - Broadside at Chatham Maritime (Hazle, McCormack Young).
Chairman of Kent Design Steering Group Tony Hillier presented his personal award to Denis Ward who is retiring after 50 years. "Denis has led Ward Homes in their pursuit of good design and innovation in housing development during this period and has also been a great inspiration to many who worked with him," Mr Hillier said.
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