Wardell Armstrong launches new sport and leisure division

Engineering and environmental consultancy Wardell Armstrong has announced the launch of a new division to specialise in providing a range of integrated services for sport and leisure facilities.  

Building on a proven track record of successful high profile projects for sports stadia and centres, youth leagues, leading hotels and leisure outlets, the consultancy is pooling its experience and resources to focus on the growing demand from this expanding market.

“With more leisure time and Olympic legacy funding available to a range of sports facilities, there’s growing grass roots demand for high quality facilities of all kinds,” said Mike Hassall, newly appointed MD of Wardell Armstrong.

“As an independent multi-disciplinary consultancy we’re able to provide a one stop shop for services from feasibility studies, site investigation, surveys and planning to detailed engineering and landscape design, specialist surface selection, project and contract management and long term strategy.”  

As the project landscape architects selected by the FA to support its vision for a world class destination for training and sporting facilities, Wardell Armstrong played a leading role in the development of the National Football Centre at St George’s Park - an inspirational centre for coaching, education, a Hilton and Hampton hotel complex, a conferencing hub for business and sporting communities, a leading centre for sports medicine and science, and a training magnet for teams, individual players and athletes.  

Other major sport and leisure projects have included the 18,000 capacity stadium of St Helen’s Rugby Football Club at Langtree Park, Sunderland FC Academy of Light Indoor Training Centre, Russell Foster Tyne and Wear youth league facility, Musselburgh race course in East Lothian, Newcastle Eagles Foundation basketball centre, Sunderland Hilton Garden Inn and Northumberlandia, the Lady of the North.  

The new division will be headed by Helen Kennedy, a chartered landscape architect who has been closely involved with many of the consultancy’s past sport and leisure projects.

“It’s very rewarding to be able to play a part in helping to improve lives and local communities through the power of sport,” said Helen, “especially by enabling young people in particular to exercise, gain confidence, be fit and healthy, learn discipline and be a part of a team from an early age. It’s equally rewarding to be able to help clients to create aspirational destinations and optimise the use of their venues.”

Wardell Armstrong’s new sport and leisure division will complement the consultancy’s existing sectors covering energy and climate change, waste resource management, international mining, infrastructure and utilities, land and property, and mineral estates.