Lancashire builder completes £2.14m sports facility at secondary school

New sporting spaces at St John’s Marlborough, including a four-court sports hall, two external multi use courts and landscaped areas for student recreation have been brought to life by the firm.

Delivered by its traditional division, the state-of-the-art development will boost physical activity facilities at the school, while also helping it cater for a growing student population.

Working in partnership with Edmond Shipway and NVB Architects, Collinson Construction has delivered the scheme in just eight months and transformed a previously unused area of rough ground at the front of the school.

Situated on Granham Hill above the historic market town of Marlborough, the school hosted an opening ceremony to mark the completion of the scheme, with representatives from Collinson Construction in attendance, as well as St John’s staff, students, governors, St John’s Foundation Trust, Excalibur Academies Trust and the Mayor of Marlborough.

Guests were given a tour of the new development, and a group of students demonstrated their skills on the courts.

Robert Duxbury, managing director of Collinson Construction, said: “We’re proud to have worked in partnership with St John’s Marlborough to bring this wonderful new facility to life.

“The scheme fulfils a longstanding aim of the school to transform the space outside the main entrance, which had been earmarked for development for many years, while boosting top-class sporting spaces for the school’s students as well as ensuring the Marlborough community has access to a wider range of sporting facilities.”

St Johns Principal, Ian Tucker, said: “A key vision for this project has been about creating first impressions; for our visitors, and for those who learn or work at St John’s and Excalibur. It has been about making everyone feel they are in a place that gives them the very best life chances academically, but also recognises that sport, fitness and wellbeing are equally important.

The new facilities will be fully opened to students after the June half-term break and will add a significant new dimension to the school’s PE and sports provision, as well as providing additional sheltered recreational areas for students.