Lee Wilkinson Contract Managed this £4m state-of-the-art Sports Hall and Swimming Pool complex at this prestigious independent preparatory school in Berkshire educating pupils aged 3-13 years and was once attended by the now HRH Catherine Princess of Wales.
Externally the building uses red brick and stained timber clad and has been designed to fit sympathetically with its surroundings which are nestled in the stunning 54-acre school grounds. A 25m swimming pool complete with electric cover, starting block and spectator viewing area accompanies the large sports hall big enough to house 5 badminton courts and has four indoor cricket nets and ample space for indoor hockey, netball, basketball, and roller skating. A climbing wall, dance studio, gym and changing rooms are also included in this high-quality sports facility.
The substantial plant room accommodates all the necessary pumping and heating equipment and is positioned at the far end of the pool itself ensuring the water circulation system operates efficiently minimising the amount of suction pipework required. The plant room floor is located just below the pool water line to allow the pumps to work more efficiently. The large floor area allows easy and safe access for maintenance and servicing crews as well as storage specifically for chemicals, PPE equipment and emergency first aid.
The pool temperature is kept at 29 degrees which is considered a good temperature for recreational swimming, particularly for children. This temperature range is comfortable and doesn’t put too much strain on the body during swimming activity. For competitive swimming, a slightly cooler temperature of approximately 28°C (82.4°F) is commonly used.
The site was on the far side of the occupied school campus which meant meticulous planning of deliveries was paramount, particularly the concrete pour deliveries which saw 50 back-to-back lorry loads of concrete in 2 days. The site entrance was a short distance across one playing field from some of the on-site staff housing. Regular communication, traffic management, dust management and strict noise monitoring measures were in place to keep disruption to a minimum.
* photos courtesy of St Andrew’s (client), contract delivered by another main contractor.
