CLS boosts historic school's sports provision

CLS boosts historic school's sports provision
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.  

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