SSL were delighted to be invited join the Mayor of East Staffordshire, as well as Barton Hockey Club and Burton Hockey Club, at a ceremony to celebrate the recent pitch refurbishment at Shobnall Leisure Complex, Burton-upon-Trent.
The project involved the replacement of the old synthetic turf and shockpad layer and careful preparatory works to the exposed pitch foundation. A new insitu rubber shockpad layer was installed using laser-levelled paving machinery before the stunning green and blue sand dressed synthetic turf was installed.
The new surface system was designed to achieve FIH Category 3, which is the highest hockey performance standard that a sand dressed turf can achieve. Field testing by an FIH approved test house confirmed all the required criteria had been achieved.
As East Staffordshire Council’s appointed pitch consultant, SSL initially surveyed the previous facility providing independent development advice and guidance enabling project budgets to be identified. SSL produced a detailed contract specification and design drawings which were used to facilitate a formal tender process in line with council procurement policies. Once works commenced onsite, the SSL team carried out several quality control checks to sign off each key construction stage.
The facility is managed by Everyone Active, the council’s leisure operating partner. Simon Morgan, Contract Manager for Everyone Active, commented: “We are delighted to provide this new artificial pitch and floodlights for the local community and beyond. The surface is top quality and will serve a variety of activities so people of all ages and interests will benefit from it.
Councillor Patricia Ackroyd, Mayor of East Staffordshire, remarked: “The refurbishment works to the facility have provided a wonderful new pitch for users, and we look forward to welcoming them here for many years to come.”
