When Morgan Sindall Construction sought a partner for its ambitious St Mark’s CE Primary School development in Southampton, SAPCA member Synthetic Turf Management’s (STM) expertise in sports facility construction made it the natural choice.
The £1.1 million project, spanning two years, showcased STM’s ability to handle complex, multi-phase developments while working around active school construction.
The 8,140sq m project included multiple sports facilities – including a 3G football pitch, MUGA and cricket facilities.
For the 3G football pitch, a Desso IQ3-60 surface with diamond-profile fiber design was chosen. The FIFA Quality accredited pitch also includes 5m high twin bar fencing with super rebound and eight columns with 16 LED floodlight heads.
The 32m x 35m MUGA has been fitted with a TigerTurf Evo Pro surface and 15mm in-situ shock pad. The versatile design allows for multiple sports, including hockey, tennis, futsal and touch rugby
Elsewhere, the four cricket bays (25m x 8m) have nets and there is also a two-lane long jump pit with polymeric run-up track.
The project required careful coordination with the main school construction. This meant that the project was completed in two phases.
Phase 1:
– Ground clearing and preparation
– Stone foundation installation
– Drainage system implementation
– Kerb edging and initial macadam layer
– Future-proofing with floodlight and fencing infrastructure
Phase 2:
– Remedial works to temporary base
– Final 25mm macadam installation
– Installation of Desso IQ3-60 FIFA Quality accredited surface
The completed facility now serves students aged 4-16 years, providing year-round sports access and multiple sport options for pupils and the surrounding community, as well as enhanced physical education opportunities during school hours.