Ground at new sports centre for Richmond School

We are pleased to have commenced construction on a new sports hall development for Richmond upon Thames School

The £5.9 million project designed by ECE Architecture will see our Guildford team build the two-storey, 1,357 m2 facility. In addition to the multi-use sports hall on the first floor, construction will include ground floor changing rooms, toilet and shower facilities, studio spaces and a reception area. The finished building will also include a living roof to support biodiversity, as well as photovoltaic solar panels.

The start of on-site works was recently marked by a ground breaking event, where representatives from the school, local council and key project partners signed commemorative bricks that will be laid into the substructure work.

Working alongside Alcove Architecture and structural engineers Crouch Waterfall, the project has been carefully planned to maintain safety and limit disruption for the school’s students. While the site is far enough away to not impact day-to-day operations, we have implemented hoardings around the build and we are utilising a dedicated entrance. As part of it scheduling of works, the team has liaised with the school to minimise noise or distraction during peak times such as exam season.

The new sports centre marks an exciting new chapter, not just for Richmond upon Thames School, but for the entire community, and Beard is thrilled to be able to play our part. Our focus on quality and delivery, particularly in the education sector, as well as maintaining strong relationships with all stakeholders will stand us in good stead during this development.

TOM JENKINSON
Director

Work has already begun on the building’s steel frame, which will feature external cladding to match the existing campus. The project is set to complete next summer, ready for the next intake of students.

It will be the first permanent sports facility in the school’s history, replacing the temporary buildings currently used. The building will also be used by Clarendon School and by the local community, with its development helping to meet the necessary conditions for more affordable housing in the area.

The new sports hall forms an integral part of the Richmond Education and Enterprise Campus and once completed, will provide fantastic facilities for students and the local community. We are pleased to see Beard start work and we’re grateful for their expertise and collaboration to not only help meet our objectives, but to create a safe environment for both staff and students. We look forward to working with them closely throughout the duration of the project

COUNCILLOR GARETH ROBERTS
Leader of Richmond Council

The project follows another start on site at the very same campus. Our Guildford office is working with Richmond upon Thames College on a £10 million project to build a three-storey, state-of-the-art STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) centre.

Alongside projects across the education sector, our teams in Guildford, Swindon, Bristol and Oxford have completed a number of sporting projects, from community centres to state-of-the-art training grounds for Bristol City FC, Bristol Bears Rugby and Swindon Town FC.

23 November 2023

Breaking ground at new sports centre for Richmond School