Stour Leisure Centre >
A £5 Million refurbishment to Stour Leisure Centre including a new gym, upgraded multi-purpose hall, new soft play and clip and climb. The refurbishment sees the replacement of the existing gas fired heating plant with air to water heat pumps and the installations of 598 photovoltaic solar panels.
LOCATION: ASHFORD, KENT
CLIENT: ASHFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL
PROJECT VALUE: £5 MILLION REFURBISHMENT PROJECT
DATE: 2020
The Challenge
The leisure centre was built in the 1970s with a major extension and redesign taking place in 2005. The main challenge presented to the team was the lack of information available in regard to the existing structure, particularly in the area that was to become the aerobic studio. The studio held a mezzanine floor with split two-storey squash courts. However, this structure was not connected to the original concrete frame and was not on any records.
The SOLID Approach
The SOLID team spent a large amount of time checking the existing structure for new loads, particularly as the purpose of some rooms had changed. With the absence of original drawings we had to figure out the original design and the loads that the frame could withstand. When installing the climbing walls various scans were conducted on the concrete slab to identify where a resin fix was needed.