School sporting
provision in the North East has been boosted at a stroke with the
unveiling of a purpose-designed and built boathouse and full-size
synthetic hockey pitch in Yarm.
Located on an
environmentally sensitive site next to the River Tees, historic Yarm
School's persistence paid off in finally gaining planning
permission to boost its existing rowing facilities and hockey pitch
with a multi-million pound project that included a new sand-dressed
synthetic surface and extensive landscaping works to showcase the
construction and installation expertise of contractors CLS Sports.
Opening the innovative
development, former pupil and Olympic gold medal rower Katherine
Copeland MBE said the facility presented students with "a great
opportunity to make the most of it. I hope it inspires them as it
does me. I want to go out and row right now".
The school had faced a
major battle over several years to gain planning consent. The
boathouse's impact on surrounding trees – all holding
preservation orders on them and within a conservation zone – and
the river frontage were key factors in the local authority's
considerations in giving the green light.
Following a detailed
public consultation, which attracted only a handful of objections,
and preparation of architectural models and PowerPoint presentations,
consent was granted in 2014 through delegated powers.
"A flexible and
collaborative approach was essential for success," said CLS Sports
Contracts Director Stephen Miller, the third generation of the family
to work within the sports and landscaping concern, which specialises
in design, construction and maintenance of natural and artificial
sports facilities across the UK.
"Overall, this was
one of our largest projects to date," he added, "and includes
construction of a full-sized floodlit synthetic hockey pitch
installed with pozi-drain system, reduced fines sub-base, grit layer,
Tarmacadam engineered base, shockpad and Domo Hockey Xtreme 18mm
sand-dressed carpet."
The new synthetic pitch
bolsters provision for the school main site, adding to the MUGA and
cricket training facility, netball and tennis courts, while also
included in the deal was the renovation of the car park with
sustainable drainage system underneath, new school entrance and
extensive soft and hard landscaping with plantings.
"Yarm School enjoys a
strong rowing tradition in the North of England as well
as an academically high
one," said Estates Manager Alan Hodgson, the man charged with
project managing the works. "What were once basic facilities have
been transformed into superb ones that include a new jetty and
slipway."
The futuristic cedar
clad boathouse, which includes leading edge training, changing rooms
and office, features a large cantilever structure overhanging the
river.