Cirencester Town Council, Gloucestershire

MJ Abbott won the contract for the construction of one adult football pitch and two junior football pitches in Spring 2014. The works were due to be started in September 2014, to bring the pitches into play in September 2015.

On the site of the proposed adult pitch was an existing pitch which needed to be moved further away from Kingshill Lane due to planning regulations. This move pushed the adult pitch into higher ground, which was thought to be the site of an old quarry and landfill site.

MJ Abbott worked alongside specialist environmental consultants Geo-Environmental to assess the existing subsoil to see if any hazardous materials were present and determine what could be done with the material if excavated. The analysis showed that the materials were non-hazardous, which enabled the pitch construction to start earlier than originally planned. Works started in early July 2014 and were completed by the end of the month.

MJ Abbott carried out the following scope of works:

• Removal of existing surface vegetation and stockpiling in a heap on site
• Topsoil strip from proposed pitches and surrounding working area
• Cut and fill earthworks to create proposed levels
• Topsoil re-spread to pitch surfaces and surrounds
• Spreading of vegetation removed from existing surfaces on out of play areas
• Primary drainage installation at 5m centres
• Importation and spreading of 15mm of medium/fine sports sand to surface of pitches
• Final laser grading of pitch surfaces
• Cultivation and seeding of the pitches and surrounding working area on completion.

The in-house maintenance team of Cirencester Town Council were able to grow in the pitches during the summer months using travelling irrigators for watering, and the pitches were brought into play in October 2014, 11 months before the originally intended date. It is planned to carry out secondary drainage to the pitches if required during 2015.

The pitches have been well received by the Council, who have use of the pitches 11 months before their intended date, which has in turn drastically eased the reliance on other sports pitches in the Cirencester area.

Cirencester Town Council:  cirencester.gov.uk