The University's flagship Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall has been shortlisted for a prestigious national Civic Trust Award.

The shortlist was announced just days after Prince Charles caused controversy by describing the building as looking like a 'dustbin' during a visit to the Colchester Campus.

The Civic Trust Awards recognise projects that make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the environment. A record 400 entries were submitted this year.

Renowned for his outspoken views on modern architecture, the Prince of Wales – who is Patron of the Civic Trust - hit the media headlines with his off-the-cuff remark to an audience of more than 500 soldiers and their families last month. The Prince was meeting members of the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, and their families prior to the Battalion's imminent deployment to Afghanistan.

Addressing a packed Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall, the Prince said the troops and their families were 'crammed into what looks like a dustbin from the outside.' The remark thrust the Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall into the national spotlight.

Director of Estate Management, Andrew Nightingale said: 'Many people have strong opinions about modern architecture. The Lecture Theatre was designed as a striking modern building to complement the existing strong architectural form of the built campus. The stainless steel reflects both the historic parkland and the 1960s architecture.'

The winners of the Civic Trust Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Newcastle on 12 March.