Enhancement of Sporting Facilities
Enhancement of Sporting Facilities on the Redworth Site
Including:
- New All Weather Pitch (Football)
- New Changing Facilities on the Redworth Site
- Improved Drainage to Redworth Field
- Refurbishment of Redworth Gym/Sports Hall
- Retention of existing All Weather Pitch – Elmhirst Site (Hockey)
Problems with the existing sports pitches at the College are well recognised locally and cited in the local Playing Pitch Strategy. Issues include poor drainage, poor access, and lack of adequate changing facilities. As part of the Strategic Plan the Governing Body proposes to use part of the capital receipt to improve sporting facilities for current and future pupils and the local community.
The first improvement will be the provision of a new All Weather Pitch (AWP) to be located in the northeast corner of the site on existing parking and hard court areas. This AWP will replace the loss of the grass playing pitch on the Elmhirst site and will be primarily designed for football. An extra pitch on the main campus will enable the College to increase its current sports offer as a pitch with a synthetic surface extends the opportunity for pitch-based games to be played throughout the year. The AWP location within the main school campus will reduce the loss of valuable time currently spent escorting pupils to the hockey AWP on the Elmhirst site and will allow students access to the facility for less formal games during their recreational time. This will reduce the significant health & safety risk of crossing the busy A385 and will improve access for those with mobility issues who want to use the AWP as current access is via the bridge.
The new AWP will be the Sport England recommended size for football (102m x 63m) and will be fully accessible. This pitch will be in addition to the hockey AWP that will be retained on the Elmhirst site and so will significantly increase the availability of all-weather, all-year-round sports provision in the local area.
This proposal has been developed in consultation with South Hams Planning Department. The current local Playing Pitch Strategy (covering South Hams) identifies the need for additional all-weather pitches in the area. Careful thought has been given as to where to place the new AWP. The proposed location adjacent to the car park provides easy access from the main entrance and does not compromise safeguarding boundaries within the site. The proposal for an AWP on the main Redworth campus, with off-road parking and offering availability to the community outside of school hours, is supported by South Hams Planners and is in line with the current Playing Pitch Strategy.
The Governing Body has also identified the need to provide better changing facilities for both pupils and local sports and community groups. The proposal is to provide a new standalone changing facility adjacent to the new AWP on the Redworth site. This new changing facility will improve the provision for pupils and also makes the hiring of the AWP more attractive to external community groups. As the changing facilities are separated from the rest of the school buildings there are no concerns regarding security or unsupervised access to the rest of the school.
Looking at the other sporting facilities across the site and how they could be improved the Governing Body proposes to use part of the receipt to address the drainage problems with the existing grass playing field on the Redworth site. This ongoing issue considerably limits the potential for the College and other community groups to use the field for large parts of the year. Improved drainage will enable the school and community groups to use the pitch even during the winter months which is currently not possible. Having access to an AWP on the Redworth site will also reduce the need to use the grass pitches, reducing the wear and tear on these meaning that when they are required they will be more likely to be usable.
The College intends to use any remaining funding to improve the existing gymnasium. This was originally constructed in 1935 and is in urgent need of updating to facilitate the growing curriculum in PE.
The improvements are identified on the Spatial Framework design as:
7. New changing facility for public and club use with direct access into AWP
8. New AWP with fencing, run off areas and lighting
9. New line of safeguarding for school. Assumed as secure gate
10. Informal school viewing area
11. School access into AWP within line of new safeguarding
Principal’s statement:
“Having access to excellent sporting facilities on one site will enable students to be able to use these facilities every day rather than only in dedicated PE lessons. New, fit for purpose changing rooms will also help students see how much we value physical activity and provide a better environment for all groups who use the facilities to benefit from.
For the community, the addition of an artificial football pitch will provide an excellent facility that can be used throughout the year and encourage groups and teams to develop and grow. This will be an amazing addition to local sports facilities that will enable the local community access to a state-of-the-art facility in the town.”