Redmaids’ High School is set across two main sites. Our Junior, Senior and Sixth Form sites at Westbury are set in 12 acres of beautiful grounds. There is an on-site astro pitch, sports hall, cricket and athletics spaces. We also have a 16-acre sports site at the Lawns, near Cribbs Causeway. The Lawns has an FIH standard hockey pitch, tennis and netball courts, cricket and athletics spaces as well as a 3G astro. We have a strong focus on sustainability for our school sites. Further information on our approach to improving our environmental footprint can be found here.
Our Plans for The Lawns
Redmaids’ High School is thrilled that our plans to construct an indoor netball facility over 3 additional netball courts at The Lawns sports complex have been approved.
This plans act as an extension to the previously approved planning permission (ref: P19/6351/F) that allowed for the “Erection of 1 No. pavilion building, creation 2 No. all weather hockey pitches and 6 No. netball courts with floodlighting, landscaping, car parking and associated works.”
We have already delivered the first phase of those works, comprising of one floodlit hockey pitch and three floodlit netball/four tennis courts with extended car parking.
Purpose
The plan is to create an indoor netball facility that can be used year-round since netball has grown significantly at our School, which is testament to how we have reached county, regional and national finals. The School is also a Birmingham Panthers U17 Netball pathway training centre.
The use of outdoor courts makes the sport very weather dependent, particularly in the colder and wetter months, which results in unpredictable playing conditions.
This new structure will create:
- A high-quality sports facility that can be used year-round by the School, local sports clubs and the community.
- Health benefits to staff, students, and the wider community.
- Enhanced scope for community use of the facilities – secured by an amended Community Use Agreement. In particular, the school will be better able to meet demand from local netball clubs such as Almondsbury Netball, Cougars and a range of other clubs that use us as training or fixtures venue and have a need for indoor court provision.
Drawings
3D visual prepared by WeAreVerde.
The main covered structure will measure c.36m x c.60m. Detailed site plans can be accessed here.
The shape of the roof is designed to comply with England Netball and LTA guidelines having regard to the typical trajectory of the ball during play. There is a minimum clearance required between the ground (court surface) and structure for netball, which the structure adheres to.
The white colour of the roof will allow for some daylight to pass through the material, decreasing the structures dependence on artificial lighting and improving energy efficiency.
We undertook a Lighting Assessment to ensure that there will not be an adverse impact on existing residents or the environment. The Lighting Assessment concluded that the residual effects of lighting from the covered courts will be ‘Neutral’ compared to the baseline position.
We have also proposed significant additional planting around the site, particularly on the northern boundary to screen the structure from nearby residents and properties on Haw Wood. Below is a picture of the proposed view from the shared path in Haw Wood housing development, looking south. This picture has been prepared by The Landmark Practice.
The full application was supported by:
- Detailed plans
- Transport Statement
- Lighting Assessment
- Landscape and Visual Assessment
- Planting Details and 10% Biodiversity Net Gain delivery
We look forward to delivering this next phase in Redmaids’ High’s development.
