New £15m sports park on track for completion
ANEW £15m sports park, with the first internal full-size 4G playing pitch in Wales, is on track for completion in November.
The park for the University of South Wales, close to its campus at Rhydyfelin in Pontypridd, will provide athletes with competition standard facilities.
The 4G pitch will be a key feature of the university’s new facility, meeting the approved standards required for football and rugby.
It will also house a strength and conditioning laboratory with 12 stations, modern teaching facilities, offices and an observation/viewing gallery overlooking pitches.
Pick Everard, which has an office in Cardiff, is delivering project and cost-management services on the scheme.
Mike Petersen, director at Pick Everard, said: “Delivering first-class facilities in the higher education sector is key to nurturing tomorrow’s sportsmen and women. This project will provide first-class facilities for users and enable the university to excel and lead in its field.
“We are delighted to be working with the University of South Wales and look forward to delivering this project.”
Work began on the new sports park last year. Pick Everard was appointed to the scheme through the Scape Project Management and Quantity Surveying framework, which has since been superseded by the Scape Built Environment Consultancy Services framework.
During site investigations, extensive historic mine workings were discovered within the site at Rhydyfelin.
Rob Cleaver, regional director at Pick Everard, said: “The discovery of historic mines did threaten to cause a major delay to the project due to the need for extensive investigations and significant additional groundworks to make it suitable for construction works to begin.
“We minimised delays to the project that this discovery presented by securing the site and distributing arising earthworks while designs for the new building were still being developed.
“By reprogramming the works, we ensured teaching areas could be occupied in time for the new academic year.
“Our team in Wales and the SouthWest has considerable experience and expertise in higher education, and combined with our recent appointments by Cardiff University, Swansea University and the University of Worcester for work on their higher education estates, this project signals a growing momentum in the sector for the firm.”
Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said: “This project is a fantastic example of intelligent, highly efficient design, and will create a first-rate research facility for University of South Wales students and staff.
“By using our framework, the scheme will utilise a local supply chain network and create training opportunities for local people.”