- Location : St. Peter, Jersey
- Date : 2018 - 2021
- Client : Team Athlete Holdings (Jersey) Ltd
- Project Status : Completed
Branded ‘Strive’ by the elite professionals who have led the project, Jersey Sports Academy is set to be one of the top sports facilities in Europe. The scheme will provide a gateway for young islanders into the world of healthy living and competitive sport and provide elite-level training for the neighbouring rugby club. Amongst the 30+ members of staff which will be recruited locally, a plethora of experts in sports performance will make up the team covering nutrition, sports science, and psychology. Heavily subsidised coaching and medical services will be available for sports clubs across Jersey, and free access for school children during the daytime will improve PE lessons island wide.
The scheme comprises of almost 1500sqm across two storeys, as well as 1000sqm of external training space. Internally, there will be three members studios and a high-tech health club, a nutrition and kitchen area for the consumption of pre / post training foods, medical treatment and therapy rooms, teaching space for sports science lectures, and one of Europe’s best-equipped athlete specific gyms. Specialised facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, a dojo, and altitude chambers. Externally there will be a covered sports area to enable use of the outdoor facilities year-round equipped with state-of-the-art sports apparatus suitable for an array of high-performance activities.
Located on what was once the overspill car park for the adjacent JRFC, accessibility has been paramount in the landscape works. The site entrance will be reconfigured to allow two pedestrian entrances, vehicular access with a minibus drop-off point, disabled parking spaces with a newly levelled surface, and crossing points with tactile paving and railings for ensured public safety. Electric charging points for cars will be provided, and secure bicycle parking will be situated near the entrance – encouraging those journeying to the academy to use the existing cycle route along L’Avenue de la Reine. To further enhance the protected green zone that surrounds the academy, new trees and planted borders will be planted, reducing the impact of hardstanding surfaces on the site.
