Member Article

Morgan Sindall Construction dives into Basildon swimming pool project

Basildon Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a swimming pool extension at Eversley Leisure Centre to meet a high demand for aquatic facilities among nearby primary schools and residents.

The 864 sq ft expansion to the Basildon based leisure centre has been procured utilising the Essex Construction Framework 2 (ECF2), which delivers a wider programme of mainly school projects in the wider Essex region to a value of £400m.

Morgan Sindall Construction’s Essex business was selected for the project in January 2022, with work expected to start on site in July.

Basildon Council instigated the project as an increasing population in the Pitsea area meant there was a requirement from the local primary schools and residents for swimming pool facilities. The swimming pool at Eversley Leisure Centre will be for the benefit of the nearby schools but it will also be open for the local community to use.

As well as benefitting local schools, the fully inclusive facility will enable the expansion of community-led programmes, including lessons for all ages, senior swimming, disability sessions and aqua classes.

Once complete, the site for the four-lane, 25 metre pool will boast impressive sustainability credentials due to the installation of photo voltaic panels and other carbon offset measures. As well as the swimming pool, the project will increase the car park’s capacity by 50 spaces.

This is the latest project in a long-running partnership between Morgan Sindall Construction and Basildon Council. This collaboration has previously seen the delivery of a £500,000 expansion at Eversley Leisure Centre, which saw the conversion of the underutilised sports hall into a new state-of-the-art gymnastic centre for South Essex Gymnastics Club.

In line with Morgan Sindall Construction’s social value commitment, the Essex business will engage with the local community to add real social value, not only in the delivery of the swimming pool, but throughout the lifecycle of the project.

Peter Whitmore, managing director for Construction East at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “It is a pleasure to be working with Basildon Council again to deliver a much in-demand swimming pool for the local area. As we continue to progress through the design and development stages, our strong partnership with the council will ensure that we can swiftly deliver a high-quality facility that meets the needs of Pitsea’s pupils and residents. As a business that’s invested in the communities in which we work, we’re also going to work hard to identify how we can best add as much social value for the area as possible.”

Councillor Andrew Baggott, Leader of Basildon Council, welcomed the news: “I am pleased we have been able to appoint our long-standing partner Morgan Sindall to deliver this exciting project for residents of the borough. A new swimming pool for Pitsea will provide additional high quality leisure space for residents and Eversley Leisure Centre is the perfect place to build on already popular facilities. We have listened to residents’ views through a series of consultations to make sure the new pool will meet their needs now and into the future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Robson .