New sports hall for Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

One of Lancashire’s oldest schools is about to end its long wait for a new sports hall.  At the end of October work was started on a new £2 million project at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School.

Designed by leading North West architects, Cassidy + Ashton, the 1,030m2 sports hall will be constructed by Preston-based contractor, Warden Construction, in a 36-week programme due to complete in July 2014.

The scheme is designed to enhance indoor and all-weather sporting facilities at the mixed, selective 11-18 grammar school, which dates back to 1554. Complementing an existing gym, tennis courts and a full-size 3G all-weather pitch completed in January 2011, the new sports hall will be constructed in the south western corner of the school’s Chatburn Road site and is set to dramatically improve and broaden indoor sports choice and provision at the school.

Judith Child, Headteacher at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, said: “A new sports hall has been a priority for many years but funding has never been available to realise that goal.

“Academically we are a very high-achieving school and always appear within the top 50 schools in the national league tables but we have always been constrained by a lack of indoor sports provision, until now. Clitheroe Royal Grammar School is one of the few schools in Lancashire without a dedicated sports centre so, over the past year, we have had a substantial fund raising drive that has involved students, staff, parents, alumni and friends of the school.

“We have worked closely with Cassidy + Ashton to develop plans that answer the school’s sporting needs both now and in the future and are looking forward to seeing the new building take shape on site.”

Creating an environment for a wide range of sports, including badminton, five-a-side football, tennis, mini-tennis, netball, basketball and cricket, the new sports hall will feature retractable seating for up to 270 spectators and will also be suitable for use as a meeting space. The main, double-height gymnasium will be served by an entrance foyer, a small office, student and staff changing areas and an associated plant room, with two storage rooms located to the rear of the building.

The Cassidy + Ashton team has used the existing topography of the site and designed the building to cut into the banking to minimise the height of the new sports hall. As a result, it will rise to a maximum height of 12.53 metres, sitting lower than the existing school buildings on the site while meeting Sport England requirements.

Dan Brown, architect at Cassidy + Ashton said: “We have designed the scheme to fit naturally into the local landscape by selecting sympathetic materials and finishes. These include a mix of buff-coloured brickwork, aluminium cladding and glazing for the main elevations, complementing the existing school buildings while providing a functional, contemporary facility.

“Sustainability has also been a key design consideration, with a 25% increase in insulation levels above building regulations requirements, solar hot water panels to the south eastern elevation and a heat recovery system to maximise the efficiency of the building’s heating system.”

Michael Hartley, director and chairman of Cassidy + Ashton, said: “This is the latest in a number of high profile school projects that Cassidy + Ashton has designed, including the recent completion of the Riley Sixth Form Centre at Bolton School and new refectory at Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe.

“The design for this scheme is a careful balancing act between respecting the school’s needs and providing the contemporary sporting facilities it needs for current and future students.  We believe that this design achieves those aims and will be an invaluable addition to their school that will be well worth the long wait.”