Port Village Shopping Centre’s recent extensions have been recognised by the Master Builders Association.

The 2011 Far North Queensland Housing and Construction Awards were held at Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night, with builders, J Hutchinson Pty Ltd (trading as Hutchinson Builders) taking out the retail facilities over $4 million category for stage two of Port Village Shopping Centre’s redevelopment.

Hutchinson Builders’ Cairns representative, Paul De Jong, said the award was a pleasant surprise for the family-owned Brisbane-based company, which celebrates its 100th birthday next year.

“That’s a great award to pick up,” Mr De Jong said from his Smithfield office.

“Hutchinson Builders were awarded the original contract for stage one in 2001, and were successfully awarded the stage two contract in 2009.

“So this is a nice way to be recognised.”

The official hand-over of the newest refurbishments took place in November last year, with an expanded Coles supermarket, as well as the addition of a Target Country and numerous specialty stores.