Prior Park College Sports Centre

Prior Park is a independent school overlooking the World Heritage City of Bath and is listed by the Oxford Royale Academy as one of the most beautiful boarding schools in the UK.

The school site features a series of Grade I, II* and II listed buildings set within a listed landscape of outstanding natural beauty, which was influenced by the renowned landscape architect, Capability Brown.

We were appointed by Prior Park College to create a new Sporting Centre of Excellence.

A key challenge for the project was the project’s sensitive landscape setting, including a back drop of mature trees. In response, we worked closely with the local planning and conservation officers, Historic England and consultees from the offset to ensure that our proposals would both respect and enhance the site.

To reduce the perceived scale of the building and to ensure that it would fit appropriately within the surroundings, the centre has been visually separated into smaller sections. A balcony has been used to tie the different elements of the building together, provide views of the school’s cricket pitch, link the inside with outside, and offer views out to the school’s Grade I listed mansion house building, and the historic landscape beyond.

Internally, all facilities provided support for the pursuit of excellence in sport and include an indoor sports hall, a 30-piece fitness suite, new changing facilities, teaching space and multi-purpose function room.

Construction was completed in advance of the new academic year 2015/16 using a design and build procurement route.

Prior Park also provides a excellent venue for weddings, private parties, and the corporate and sporting needs of the public. Its beautiful architecture, facilities, and impressive grounds also attract sport partnerships for the benefit of the college