Sports Labs was a finalist in the Large Sports or Play Project of the Year category at this year’s SAPCA Awards.
Sports Labs acted as a consultant on the FAREPlay Stepford Community Sports & Leisure Park, Glasgow, which was a collaborative effort for the betterment of the community.
Project description:
The work completed on FAREPlay Stepford Community Sports & Leisure Park was a collaborative effort for the betterment of the community. Sports Labs worked closely with FARE and fellow SAPCA members, Sportex and SIS, to determine the most suitable renovations that would make this community hub work for the local people.
Sports Labs carried out the design and consultancy role of a new full size 3G pitch and five 5-a-side pitches at, including the underlying dynamic layers, drainage, shock pads, artificial turf, fencing, floodlighting and a new car park. This was to ensure the facility had a sustainable future, meeting end user needs.
In terms of a site, it was expected from the initial discussions that planning would not represent much of a risk to the project, this was supported by the fact that most of the development area was currently a natural grass pitch.
However, this ended up being one of the most challenging aspects of the project. There were significant issues to overcome in terms of ecology and in particular water voles which had to be relocated from the site to allow development to be undertaken. This was coupled with concerns over underlying mine workings which resulted in a requirement to look at a bespoke substructure design.
Sports Labs worked with the client to communicate during the development of the planning process and provided expert assistance to mitigate the risk and reassure the planning department, following approximately 18 months from the initial submission planning was approved which turned the project into a reality.
From a consultancy standpoint, Sports Labs aims for sustainability and efficiency, so part of the challenge came from deciding the best way to reform the pitch, especially after a period of zero usage for an outdated pitch.
FAREPlay Stepford is now home to two-full-sized pitches, converted from the two smaller, pre-existing grass pitches. This is in addition to new turfs and turf boards made of recycled materials, overall creating a FIFA quality pitch available to the community.
Keeping a facility open like this in the West of Scotland weather is key to providing continuity for users and Sports Labs’ designs, as well as its expertise of the construction elements. The performance of the playing surface has ensured that the facilities are reliably open and durable for high usage.
Social value impact:
The client had major aspirations from the outset to develop the site and the initial feasibility and set of requirements for the project far outweighed the funding available and was financially nonviable.
Sports Labs worked with the client to develop the overall scheme to maximise the potential opportunity in terms of phasing the works in a way to deliver the clients requirements but with options to down spec in areas if required. In the end, Sports Labs managed to achieve the client’s aspirations without much to any compromise.
Additionally, the new facilities should be able to provide enticing job and training opportunities, especially for 16–24-year-olds, allowing many in the community to potentially pursue careers in the industry, or even just get their first experiences in the working world.
FARE is a not-for-profit charity that looks to tackle poverty and anti-social behaviour in disadvantaged areas, with the Stepford project aiming to achieve this through the provision of diversionary activities, with Sports Labs playing its part in designing a facility capable of reforming and reshaping the area.
