Community & Recreational Leisure
Creating spaces for people to play
We’re delivering a range of recreational leisure facilities for the community to connect with each other and enjoy.
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Community and recreational facilities play a key role in building community cohesion in a post-covid society. The pandemic highlighted the importance of social connection to support health and mental wellbeing and as restrictions lifted local outdoor parks and green space, sports-related leisure facilities and accessible community centres and libraries became essential hubs for rebuilding social ties and foster community resilience.
Community facilities also support local economic recovery efforts whether these be places for people to access food banks, employment, health or generational support services.
Recreational leisure such as hotels, museums, retail and commercial and accessible play space has also been a catalyst to economic growth to regenerate both rural and urban areas across the UK and attract people into the community – whether they are tourists or those looking for more permanent roots.
In the face of difficult economic and societal challenges and digital fatigue, face to face connection is something that has returned, with communities wanting more leisure facilities in which to connect with friends and families and create happy memories.
Youth & community hubs
Youth and community hubs offer safe and supportive environments for those in the community to engage with others and positive activities, access support and guidance and build essential life skills.
For many across the UK, issues such as academic or employment pressures, the cost of living, loneliness and those centred around mental health were prevalent but exacerbated by the covid-19 pandemic. In response to this, we’re working with local authorities to deliver high-quality, safe and secure community facilities to help build equitable communities.
Our Southern Home Counties team were appointed by East Sussex County Council to refurbish two community youth facilities, the JOFF (the Joy of Finding Friends) Youth Hub in Peacehaven and Heathfield Youth Hub. The projects are part of a scheme to revitalise youth services and offer a range of activity spaces, with funding received via the governments Youth Investment Fund.
Long-term commercial viability and sustainability of the space to support lower running costs were important aspects of the project. The team were able to respond to this in the early stages to specify construction methods, such as the cross-laminated timber (CLT) frame which would contribute thermal efficiency.
Hotels
Quality hotels that feel like a home from home in prime business or tourist locations can at times be difficult to find. Our teams have been working with private developers looking to enhance their commercial portfolio as well as local authorities and organisations who are taking under-used spaces to create long-term sustainable commercial opportunities.
The team undertook the remodelling and refurbishment of Camden Methodist Church, which dates to 1800 into a four-star hotel, whilst still retaining a worship space to the lower ground floor for church and community use.
The site posed logistical challenges due to its proximity to local businesses, residential properties, a busy intersection and pedestrian crossing. To overcome this, the team constructed a steel gantry over the pedestrian walkway in which to place their site welfare cabins. What’s more, as building access was via one main front door, the team coordinated just in time’ deliveries of materials and deployed the team at the exacting time to offload items swiftly allowing vehicles to move on as quickly as possible.
Located on the site of the former library, this mixed-use development involved the construction of a 152- room Moxy hotel and 92 Suite- Residence Inn apart-hotel, alongside private residential, restaurant and retail space with offsite parking in Slough town centre. The project was successfully delivered six weeks early.
The project required considerable stakeholder management to ensure the design met individual requirements but remained in the overall cost parameters, as the team combined a 50/50 developer and local authority joint venture, two different hotel operators and a residential sales team.
Public realm
Public realm and green spaces are essential in urban environments, promoting physical, mental, and social well-being. They offer opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and community interaction, helping reduce stress and support healthier lifestyles. Environmentally, they improve air quality, reduce urban heat, and enhance biodiversity. Our team delivers public realm spaces either as standalone infrastructure projects or integrated into wider building schemes.
Waterfront Place in Dundee, adjacent to the V&A Museum of Design is part of Dundee’s wider £1bn regeneration programme. This 7,000 sq ft landscaped ‘urban beach’ includes inclusive seating, lighting, and an active travel hub with cycle hire and storage.
As part of our approach to the circular economy and reducing waste. Community-based enterprises benefited from surplus materials for use on community or learning projects, including Scrap Antics, Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed, and Dundee and Angus College.
In Plymouth, our public realm work supports a broader masterplan to revitalise the city centre. This includes New George Street, Old Town Square, the Grade II listed Civic Square, and Armada Way - a one-kilometre pedestrianised plaza.
Innovative solutions are embedded in the design. Plymouth’s rain gardens enhance biodiversity and aesthetics while serving as flood management systems. Beneath the surface, gardens up to 16 cubic metres wide and excavated to 30 cubic metres store rainwater, which is reused to irrigate plants and trees.
Want to find out more about our sporting credentials?
Find out more about our sports centres and leisure facilities.
Case Studies
