Haileybury School

Enhancing outdoor sports fields at the Haileybury Independent Co-educational Boarding School.

Our key services included:

  • Inception Feasibility Study, Conceptual Design and Scheme Schedule
  • Development Site Investigations, Detailed design, Approvals, Cost plans and Health and Safety
  • Procurement Tender Documents and Tender Action
  • Construction Contract Administration and Construction Supervision
  • Post Construction Maintenance Advice and After Care and Annual Advice and Reporting

Project Background

Haileybury wants the best educational provision for their children, and with over 700 pupils including some 500 boarders; modern sporting facilities were urgently required. The outcome of the project feasibility resulted in the decision to enhance the external sporting provision at Haileybury with a second Artificial Hockey Pitch and in compensation, the development of two new grassed rugby pitches and a new cricket square with outfield at Hailey Field

These new facilities are also used by a range of community clubs and groups from the local catchment area, including Hertfordshire County Hockey Association who have an interest in using the hockey pitch as a training venue.

Project Scope

Surfacing Standards Ltd we appointed as specialist consultant and project manager for the scheme in July 2011. Several key challenges were encountered during the development and implementation of the project:

  • Planning Approval – Substantial consultations with the Local Planning Authority were undertaken to gain conditional planning approval for the scheme.
  • Power Diversion – As high voltage overhead electrical cables traversed Hailey Field (used as pasture land by a tenant farmer) it was necessary to corrdinate a line diversion with the utility owner, UK Power Networks.
  • Considerate Design – The site, which is situated within designated Greenbelt and adjacent to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); demanded a sympathetic approach.
  • Team Working and Collaboration – Once the construction phase had begun, it was important to coordinate the work programme and sequence between the principal contractor and archaeological contractor to ensure the Written Scheme of Archaeological Investigation (WSI) could be correctly undertaken. During this time, it was necessary for contractors to collaborate with regards to welfare provision. During the construction phase we published minutes, certificates and notices to the project team to ensure everyone could contribute towards a successful outcome.

Project Result

Paul Watkinson, Bursar, Haileybury:

“Surfacing Standards have been great to work with. They have been helpful and reliable and have coordinated our project professionally towards a satisfactory conclusion”.