By Jason Crozier (Clarkson Alliance)

Kevin Mist, Communities Project Lead, introduced the item and stated the design team had been working together for 12 months and a planning application had been submitted. The application was waiting to go to Panel. The Communities Project Lead and his team had been working with Wates Construction under a framework agreement and they were benefiting from practical advice from other organisations that had built other leisure centres. He hoped the presentation would answer a lot of questions and reassure residents of the good quality of the project.

The main points of the presentation were as follows:

Ø  Sustainability objectives:

o   To achieve a 75% reduction on utility costs over the current Magnet Centre

o   To provide a future facility which enabled amendments and modifications to the fabric as technology and use advanced

o   To follow an approach that offers the best value to the council and local rate payer with a life cycle costing approach to Capital and Operational Expenditure

o   To provide a life cycle of at least 35 years.

Ø  Site Location:

o   The site was located in the Green Belt within Braywick Park

o   The team had looked at the path of the sun to get the most use of daylight to keep energy costs reduced.

o   The location to be used was a former landfill site with interesting trees.

Ø  Site Strategy:

o   Pedestrians had priorities in certain places

o   A holistic approach had been adopted

o   As part of the design, making elements work as hard as possible and making sure the scheme answered a brief on programme

o   Will be an extraordinary facility that was connected with the nature reserve and interconnected with a cycle path.

Ø  Sustainable Travel:

o   Within walking distance to the Town Centre

o   Connected to the Green Way Cycle Path

o   Shuttle Bust to Town Centre

o   Increase in bus provision

o   6 nr electric vehicle charge points with the ability for more to be added at a later date

o   Cycling stands to be provided

Ø  Sustainable Drainage:

o   Rainwater harvesting provision for grey water and irrigation

o   Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS) were to be used to ensure all surface water attenuates through the site.

o   Attenuation ponds and swale

Ø  Ecology and Planting

o   Centre had been designed with careful consideration to the sites sensitive location

o   The development would enhance the ecological value through retention of high value trees and improved planting

o   Cemetary boundary to be reinforced creating a primary bat corridor

o   The central avenue would make the centre a hub for the park.

Ø  Floor Plan:

o   There was to be a wet side and a dry side of the building as well as a street like area

o   There would be three elements that formed the construction

o   The building would feel generous in space and open within.

Ø  Sun and Daylight:

o   The Planning application included PV provision

o   The winter garden skylight gave a parkland outside in feeling

o   Sun pipes provided natural light to the pool hall

o   Sun glare was controlled for balanced light

Ø  Fabric First:

o   High level insulation and air tightness meant the building would maintain energy, reducing the use of non-renewables

o   The design was highly planned and provided an excellent place for planting. There was no wasted space.

Ø  Mechanical and Environment Approach:

o   Combined heat and power

o   UV disinfection of pool water – minimise chemical input and increased water quality

o   Air handling (73%-85% efficiencies) – efficient heat recovery

o   LED lighting, occupancy sensors – minimises electrical requirement for lights

o   BMS and smart management of facility (over 90% energy metered)

o   Drinking fountains/water points at strategic locations – soft water showers to minimise cleaning required.

o   Photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation

o   Pool ventilation night set back 9sleep mode when pool not in use)

o   Inverter driven speed controls to fans and pumps

o   High efficiency gas fired boilers

o   Controls zoning, set point and time clock controls (tailored to match when building was being used)

o   Low water usage appliances

o   Rainwater harvesting for WC flushing

Mr Martin Fry stated the build looked challenging. Jason Crozier, Wates Construction stated the centre would be opening in January 2020, with a soft opening in Spring 2019. The Communities Project Lead said the plans were uploaded onto the Borough’s planning portal to be viewed. The team were working with users and clubs to develop the design and they would be going back to them for any final amendments. Andrew Stevens. Wates Construction confirmed that solar panels would be installed on the roof on the right hand side. Discussions were ongoing regarding how many panels would be installed due to how they would be paid back. The roof would be slightly pitched. Richard Clayton, Architect for the project, stated the panels would not cover the whole roof due to the ventilation vents that were required.

The Chairman stated she liked the use of sun pipes to let light in. The architect of the  project confirmed it was useful to have multiple points of light coming in as it reduced glare and made areas light while reducing energy costs. The chairman stated it was reassuring to know all aspects of sustainability were being thoroughly looked into. Councillor Yong said the project sounded amazing and she was looking forward to seeing some of the features being introduced in the south of the Borough.