Sport England Design Advisory Role

Oct 2006

The SPACE & PLACE team have developed a deep understanding of the design and technical requirements of sports facilities. S&P is proud to have worked alongside Sport England for a number of years to prepare design guidance for the planning and design of new sports facilities (published and downloadable from the Sport England website).

The Design Guidance Notes provide clients, other stakeholders and building professionals with information that will assist during the feasibility, design and delivery processes, which are key to successful facility design. The preparation of each document requires an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and informed consultation with governing bodies, industry experts and other key stakeholders.

The Design Guidance Notes form an essential resource to designers, operators and users of sports facilities across the country. The basis and manner in which they are written is to encourage and to increase participation in sport through good design practices. In so doing, they act as a catalyst to ensure that facilities are designed in accordance with the recommendations therein, and they are facilities that are regularly used by all members of the community in a whole range of diverse activities.

Documents that S&P have completed include the following:

• Designing for Sports on School sites
• Affordable Sports Centre documents
• Affordable Sports Hall documents
• Affordable Community Swimming Pool document
• Badminton Design Guidance Note
• Developing the Right Sports Hall Design Guidance Note
• Sports Halls Design and Layouts Design Guidance Note
• Sports Data Sheets: Badminton, Basketball, Netball, Cricket, Volleyball
• Artificial Sports Lighting DGN
• Artificial surfaces for Outdoor Sports DGN
• Natural Turf DGN
• Swimming Pools DGN – revised
• Equipment Stores Briefing Note
• Accessible Sports Facilities Audit Checklist.