South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire commissioned us last year to produce two complementary strategies. These are a playing pitch strategy covering the major pitch sports of cricket, hockey, football and the two rugby codes and a built facilities strategy covering all other facilities including sports halls, swimming pools, tennis courts and fitness centres. We are working on both studies following Sport England guidance. The studies were prompted...

Built in 1984, the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich is one of the largest in London. It has two sports halls, four different water areas including a leisure pool with flume, squash courts and a large gym. However, it’s now showing its age. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is proposing to replace the Waterfront with a new, state-of-the-art centre as a centrepiece to the regeneration of Woolwich. The question is, “What should this new centre...

We are currently working with Spelthorne Borough Council to draft a new playing pitch strategy linked to their new Local Plan. This will replace the old playing field assessment which dates from 2013. We are working closely with the council and their partners at Surrey Cricket, Middlesex FA, the RFU and England Hockey. We’ve also had some excellent involvement from local clubs keen to see development of facilities in the area. Since the last...

In recent months we’ve been working with the prestigious Harrow School (Winston Churchill’s alma mater) on development of their proposed new sports facilities.   The school is making a multi-million pound investment in its PE and extra-curricular facilities and wishes this to also benefit the wider community.  The school is seeking planning permission for the detailed designs. We’ve been consulting the sports development team at Harrow Council,...

St. George’s Academy, Sleaford: We are supporting the Academy to develop a swimming pool project. The commission involved undertaking a detailed needs assessment using Sport England’s ‘Assessing Needs and Opportunities Guidance’, producing a business plan to demonstrate the financial viability of the operation and assisting the Academy with the planning application  

Runnymede in Surrey is world famous at the site chosen by King John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.   It’s also the home of a go ahead local authority, Runnymede Borough Council, who are committed to the development of high quality leisure facilities. We are working with RBC on a playing pitch strategy linked to the local plan. This is to ensure that there are sufficient playing fields and pitches and associated indoor facilities to meet the needs of the...

Back in 2013 we worked with Elmbridge Borough Council to refresh their playing pitch strategy.   This lead to a number of improved and developed facilities including the new football hub at the XCel Leisure Centre in  Walton on Thames.  They’ve now appointed us to produce an updated strategy to guide provision over the coming years. Elmbridge is one of the most attractive places in the country in which to live and work. As a result there is great pressure...