Leadbitter Group awarded contracts to design and build two more sports centres in the education sector
(26/11/2009)

The Leadbitter Group has been awarded contracts to design and build two more sports centres in the education sector. The contract wins are a result of Leadbitter's growing reputation for expertise in developing facilities within schools and further education environments as well as professional-level swimming pools and leisure facilities for urban and rural communities across the whole of central and southern England and south Wales.

The two new projects include the design and construction of a new build Sports Centre at the University of Brighton's Falmer Campus and a new Sports Hall at the Bishop Challoner School at Basingstoke, one of several projects Leadbitter has undertaken for Hampshire County Council.

Construction of the sports centre in Falmer is set to begin towards the end of November. Upon its completion in autumn 2010, it will provide a sports hall, gymnasium, dance studios and associated changing and toilet facilities, together with external works and landscaping.

At Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School in Basingstoke, Leadbitter will provide a new build sports hall four times the size of the current gym, providing the space for a full range of indoor activities, such as netball, five-a-side football and basketball. The project will also include changing facilities, toilets, stores, administration offices and associated landscaping works. Works have already commenced on site.

Another recent success for Leadbitter in this sector is the completion of the first phase of a new sports centre for University College Plymouth St Mark and St John (Marjon). This multi-million pound redevelopment of the University‘s Sports Centre is expected to provide sports facilities that are among the best in the South West.

The completed first phase includes a new triple sports hall with 12 badminton courts, which is now open for a variety of sports uses. When the new facilities are complete, they will increase the total floor space by nearly 900 square metres, bringing it to a total of 6253 square metres - nearly 4000 square metres of which is entirely new build. The second phase of the redevelopment, which is due for completion in spring 2010, involves the construction of a new sports science laboratory, a sports therapy clinic, a 90 station fitness suite and indoor climbing wall, plus the refurbishment of the gymnasium and swimming pool.

Working in education environments requires an expertise of 'live' sites, enabling those on campus to carry on as normal during construction. Here, again, Leadbitter works closely with Clients to ensure the construction process runs as smoothly as possible, so that students and staff are unhampered by the building works.

Community engagement is another key aspect to successful education projects. Leadbitter is experienced in involving students in its projects in various ways. This can be as simple as conducting safety awareness visits, or it can involve structured learning as part of the curriculum. For example, at Southampton City College, where Leadbitter is constructing a new campus, students have used the project as a tool to help them with their courses and Leadbitter staff have run a series of lectures as part of the curriculum.

Bob Rendell, Group Chief Executive of the Leadbitter Group says. "The key to successful projects is understanding the Client's goals. Our people are able to work with an individual school or college to develop a project that reflects the school‘s sporting aspirations; that meets the challenges of enabling young people to be more active; and that can be used as an important source of revenue out of school hours."

"There is currently a huge focus in the education sector to tackle obesity in young people. Unfortunately, selling off schools' playing fields in the 1990s has resulted in a shortage of facilities for young people, as well as the wider community, to take part in physical activity. Now schools need to be much more dynamic in the provision of their sports facilities. In order to successfully deliver these projects, Leadbitter builds a transparent working relationship with its Client so that we understand its needs and those of the end user."