BANGHOLM OUTDOOR CENTRE, EDINBURGH

Construction of a new sports, leisure and teaching facility

Bangholm Outdoor Centre provides a new purpose-built Physical Education Department Sports Centre for the adjacent Trinity Academy.

Design and construction of a new sports, leisure, and teaching facility. The project included the provision of a separate outdoor centre, along with external works, that features professional-standard playing fields. It will be used by a host of local sports teams, including Trinity Academicals Rugby Club and Waverley Inveresk Hockey Club.

As the new home to the school’s PE department, internally there is a four-court sports hall, a two-court gym hall, a dance studio and a fitness suite with changing rooms and classrooms. The Council’s Sport and Outdoor Learning Unit also has a base in the centre to support outdoor learning in Edinburgh and the surrounding area. In addition, community facilities including a community café as well as the accommodation for bike and kayak workshops and camping storage, are also provided.

This project was delivered as part of the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework.

20 Minute Neighbourhoods

Designed in close consultation with the local community by architects, Holmes Miller, the new centre supports the Council’s commitment to creating 20-minute neighbourhoods – allowing people to meet most of their daily needs within a 20-minute return walk from home. This concept will see the school open up many new facilities to the general public, including a café and community learning space, operated by Edinburgh Leisure and home to the Outdoor Learning Team and Trinity Academicals Rugby Club.

To see the place come alive with pupils, families and staff has been a wonderful experience and a very satisfying conclusion to the first phase of our wider regeneration project. This is very much an investment aimed at the local community as well as our pupils, so the design has been a real joint effort, with collaborative working leading to several new features being included, such as the café and community learning centre.

Nick Burge

Headteacher at Trinity Academy