Work on new sports facility has begun
The University of Portsmouth is pleased to announce that Wates Construction Limited has been appointed as the main contractor for our new high quality indoor sports facility in Ravelin Park, with construction already underway. The facility will be open to students, staff and the community and is intended to be completed in 2022.
The building design aims to set new standards for sustainability and energy efficiency in indoor leisure facilities, and to be one of the UK’s greenest sports facilities. The design stage has already received a BREEAM UK outstanding design certificate, the world’s leading sustainability assessment method, which is a major step towards becoming the first BREEAM outstanding sport and leisure centre in the UK which incorporates a swimming pool.
Facilities include an eight court sports hall, eight lane 25m swimming pool, 175 station fitness suite, multipurpose studios, squash courts, climbing wall and a ski simulator.
The project will also involve improvements to Ravelin Park, including an entrance plaza between the sports building and the University Library, new pedestrian routes, an urban orchard, increasing the number of trees in the park and opening up views to the historic buildings on Museum Road.
Wates Construction Limited has been appointed as the main contractor for our new high quality indoor sports facility in Ravelin Park, with construction already underway.
We are building a facility that will be a tremendous asset for our students, our staff and our local community. The designs for this indoor sports facility are outstanding. It will create a landmark building for the City of Portsmouth and provide an amazing experience for everyone who uses it.
Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Portsmouth, said: “We are building a facility that will be a tremendous asset for our students, our staff and our local community. The designs for this indoor sports facility are outstanding. It will create a landmark building for the City of Portsmouth and provide an amazing experience for everyone who uses it."
Alec Jackman, Business Unit Director of Wates Construction Southern Home Counties, commented: “We’re immensely proud to bring to bear our wealth of experience building state-of-the-art leisure facilities to this aspirational project for the University of Portsmouth. This new building will not only be a striking landmark for the city but is poised to set the bar high with its ambitious environmental credentials. We’re privileged to be playing a part in its development."
The building was designed by the international design practice FaulknerBrowns Architects and they are leading a team comprising: Max Fordham, Mott MacDonald and LDA Design.