S&C Slatter were overjoyed to be recognised at the SAPCA Awards 2022 today, where our innovative sports and wellness project at Winnersh Business Park won the SAPCA Award in the project category!
SAPCA is the trade association for sports and play construction and, with over 200 members, sets the standard for sports construction excellence.
Each year, the SAPCA Awards celebrate achievements across the sports and play facility construction industry, with SAPCA inviting members to submit entries across five categories: Product, Project, Innovation, Sustainability and Export. From these entries, 10 finalists are named, from which the five winners are chosen!
During the online ceremony that took place on Wednesday 16th March, we were delighted to be awarded the SAPCA Project Award 2022 for our work supporting the ‘Office of the Future’ at Winnersh Triangle Business Park, delivered for Frasers Property.
Matthew Thompson, Project Manager, S&C Slatter, commented:
“We are delighted to receive the SAPCA Project Award 2022. The project at Winnersh Triangle was delivered in close collaboration with our client, Frasers Property, and evolved in response to the pandemic, resulting in a truly unique, trailblazing approach to health and wellbeing in the workplace. It was a fantastic project to be a part of and we are thrilled with the result, as well as the recognition by SAPCA.”
The official announcement was made by SAPCA earlier today, you can read more about the winners in each category here.
In the announcement, Chris Trickey, Chief Executive, SAPCA, commented:
“The breadth and quality of entries we received for the SAPCA Awards 2022 demonstrates how wide the expertise within our membership truly is. It also shows that, despite the ongoing pressures caused by the pandemic, Brexit and the volatility within the wider construction industry, the sports and play sector has remained robust.
“This year’s awards also have an added significance, as 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of SAPCA – the winners and finalists exemplify how the association has grown in the past quarter of a century. It has also been particularly encouraging that the entries for the awards reflect the significant recent progress that has been made within the industry in the development of innovative new products and solutions, especially those that support the drive towards greater environmental sustainability.”
The award-winning project in question was the sustainable, multi-faceted sports and recreation project we delivered at Winnersh Triangle Business Park. The trailblazing project serves as a blueprint for the office of the future, not only promoting – but providing for – health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Find out more in our case study.
We were also thrilled to see our exclusive artificial turf partners, FieldTurf, win the SAPCA Product Award for their SuReTec artificial turf. It’s this same innovative sustainable turf system, which utilises synthetic turf fibres created from 100% recycled plastic waste, that we used in the construction of the Gen 2 pitch at Winnersh Triangle, supporting Frasers Property’s environmental initiatives.
Thank you very much to SAPCA and to everyone involved, it’s been a fantastic project to be a part of. Congratulations to all the SAPCA Award winners and finalists!
Give our friendly experts a call on 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
Following a successful design and planning process, S&C Slatter were delighted to commence construction on a new full-sized 3G football pitch at Frickley Country Park.
With construction now well underway, we were thrilled to host local councillors on site to see how the project is making progress.
Our in-house design and planning team worked closely with the council and Tri-Sports Consultancy to produce a football pitch design specification that best suited the needs of the local area, as well as the proposed pitch location. Design visualisations and drawings were produced in support of the planning application, which was approved in July 2021.
We were delighted to then be selected by the council to see our designs through to fruition, with construction on the new pitch commencing in late January.
The new full-sized artificial turf 3G pitch will feature the high-performance XM7 artificial turf system from our exclusive partners FieldTurf – FIFA Preferred Turf Producers. The pitch will include a variety of line markings to support both match play and training, allowing for 11-a-side and small-sided play, maximising usage for the local community.
With works underway, we were delighted to welcome councillors from South Elmsall Town Council and Wakefield Council, who awarded the funding, to visit the site.
Cllr Michael Graham, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, commented:
“It’s great to see this exciting work getting underway to support community football, which is really popular with children and adults. With as many as 108 teams in the south-east area alone, once open it will be accessible to a range of community groups, schools and local football clubs. “
Working with the FA to encourage local people to participate in football, the pitch forms part of Wakefield Council’s Playing Pitch strategy. The strategy encourages investment and sports development programmes in the district as well as promoting opportunities for residents to get involved.
With more than 150 juniors footballers using grass pitches each week, the council’s aim is to more than double this number with the introduction of the new 3G pitch.
Suitable for between 60-80 hours of usage per week, compared with 6-8 hours per week for natural turf surfaces, the new 3G football pitch will support players of all ages and abilities, offering a safe, consistent, and high-performing playing service all year round.
Cllr Steve Tulley, Chair of South Elmsall Town Council, said:
“Community football is hugely popular with both adults and children, and these brilliant facilities will make a difference, as they can be used all year round for games and for training.”
We are delighted to be supporting the council and FA to promote football in the local area with the new 3G pitch, and look forward to revisiting the site to see the completed pitch this summer!
S&C Slatter are leading sports contractors delivering first-class facilities across the UK.
With in-house expertise across design, planning, construction, maintenance, surfacing & civils, S&C Slatter help councils to create safer, healthier environments through sports, roadway and car park construction.
View a selection of our local authority case studies here.
If you have any further questions on multi-use games, or would like to arrange a free site visit, please get in touch to discuss your needs. Call 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
S&C Slatter are thrilled to be nearing completion on an innovative new business park sports hub project we’re delivering at Winnersh Triangle Business Park.
Ready to accommodate a new way of working, the comprehensive scheme includes a new club house, allotments, a living wall and a new Gen 2 sports pitch, featuring an artificial turf system produced with 100% recycled artificial turf fibres.
Work from home, if you can. It’s a phrase that dramatically changed the landscape of working life in Britain overnight in March 2020. For most of us, it meant saying goodbye to office blocks, fluorescent lights and business casual. We just didn’t know how long for.
Fast-forward a year and many businesses and staff adapted well to remote working. Major companies such as Deloitte and Mercer closed down offices as they realised the apparent benefits, where overhead costs were lower, staff were happier and productivity didn’t suffer.
But as lockdowns lengthened, eased, and returned, the novelty for some began to wear off as the pandemic entered its second year. With zoom-fatigue, lack of interaction and difficulty separating work life from home life, remote working is far from perfect for employees. While some businesses and employees adapted and enjoyed this new way of working, many others found that WFH had a negative effect on wellbeing and performance.
So, what does this mean for the ‘office job’ of the future? News outlets from the Financial Times to The New Yorker are asking the same question, with flexibility, or ‘hybrid-working’ touted as the potential key.
With long stretches of mandated home-working for many, formerly packed business parks across the country were forced to rethink. How can they find a way to appeal to those businesses trying to balance the bottom-line with employee wellbeing and performance?
Winnersh Triangle, a 1.5 million square foot mixed-use business park in Berkshire, is already well ahead of the curve. Frasers Property, who own the park, have invested over £6m into their Reworking Winnersh Project, which has already seen extensive development since 2020.
With a focus on sustainability and a ‘there’s more to life than work’ ethos, the development is set to become the blueprint for the office of the future. Winnersh Triangle will cater for employees as much as their employers, responding to the needs of agile working while promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace.
S&C Slatter are thrilled to be delivering the new business park sports hub, featuring a Gen2 multi-use sports pitch, yoga & exercise studio with living roof, urban gardens and living wall.
“As we return to the office, it’s important for us to provide a variety of facilities to enable our occupiers to truly enjoy their time here. Winnersh Triangle is a great location, and the new facilities provide further sports and wellness facilities for our occupiers and the local community.”
– Rupert Batho, Commercial Director, Frasers Property
A commitment to sustainability isn’t just a promise for Frasers Property, it’s something they already deliver on, with Winnersh Triangle powered by 100% renewable energy, procured on site.
Understanding the importance of sustainability to the park, our team designed the new Gen2 multi-sports pitch using the very latest artificial turf technology. This cutting-edge sports pitch will be constructed with 100% recycled artificial turf fibres, delivering the same exceptional performance, safety and durability – without the carbon footprint.
Part of SuReTec, the sustainable recycling technology programme from our FIFA, World Rugby and FIH Preferred Turf Producer partners, FieldTurf, the new pitch will deliver between 60-80 hours of usage per week for sports such football, netball and tennis.
Our surfacing and civils teams, in conjunction with our sister company White Horse Contractors, are delivering hard and soft landscaping on site. Footpaths, seating areas, expansive planting schemes and even a living wall will support the development’s biodiversity and efforts to provide a greener, more connected outdoor space for recreational enjoyment as well as outdoor meetings.
With new office and co-working spaces, sports facilities and outdoor spaces, Reworking Winnersh is embracing the new ‘hybrid’ or ‘agile’ style of working, designed to help manage that all important work/life balance that will attract both businesses and employees back to brick-and-mortar working.
We’re thrilled to be supporting Frasers Property in leading the way for businesses, helping to deliver a more sustainable, happier, efficient workplace, and look forward to officially handing over the site in the coming weeks.
With in-house expertise across design, planning, construction, maintenance, surfacing & civils, S&C Slatter help businesses to create safer, healthier environments through sports, roadway and car park construction.
We’re committed to providing first-class facilities for top performance, maximum use and longevity.
Get in touch now to see how we can help you maximise the potential of your workplace with a business park sports hub.
Call 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
As the S&C Slatter team begin to wind down for our Christmas break, we’ve been looking back at another astonishing and unpredictable 12 months.
From vaccine rollouts to fuel crises, an ever-changing 2021 was undoubtedly filled with peaks and troughs, presenting unforeseen challenges across all industries.
As with 2020, we’re focusing on the positives as the year draws to a close, looking back proudly at some of the company’s best moments this year:
30 years of hard-won success
Employees and family across The Slatter Group were thrilled to take part in celebrations for S&C Slatter’s 30th Anniversary earlier this year.
Founded by Stephen and Caroline Slatter in 1991, the company has grown to become the UK’s premier sports construction specialist, enjoying tremendous success over 30 years while always maintaining the family ethos under CEO David Slatter, with a continued commitment across the business to operate with integrity.
The UK’s first hybrid pitch at an independent school
Following the announcement of their new hybrid turf partnership with GrassMaster Solutions, our sister company White Horse Contractors made history at Whitgift School, where they constructed a stunning full-sized hybrid turf pitch – the first ever to be built at a school in the UK.
Award-winning turn at SALTEX
It was exciting enough to step through the doors of one of our industry’s most beloved shows, SALTEX, following its postponement from 2020 – but stepping out of the doors with a stand award under our arms was the cherry on the cake!
Together with our group partners White Horse Contractors, our stand was awarded Best in Stand Category for excellence in exhibition practice and customer experience at SALTEX 2021.
Continually striving to grow our service offering to best support our customers and emerging needs across the industry, we announced two exciting new services:
Finance – Partnering exclusively with leading finance brokers Buckingham Leasing, we launched three finance solutions to enable customers to spread the cost of their sports facilities over time.
Padel – Responding to the growth of this innovative racket sport across the UK, we joined forces with PRO Padel Courts, the only UK manufacturer of padel courts, designed specifically to withstand the Great British weather!
With a continued commitment to developing first-class sports facilities across the UK, we announced new partnerships with two fantastic organisations:
PADSIS/ Independent Coach Education – We’ll be working with the Professional Association of Directors of Sport in Independent Schools (PADSIS) and Independent Coach Education to support the development of sport in schools.
Northern Premier League (NPL) – As the leading non-league 3G pitch contractor in the UK, we were delighted to be selected by the Northern Premier League as their Official Pitch Partner, following a lengthy selection process.
We also welcomed a number of new faces to S&C Slatter, both on-site and in our offices – across our Design & Planning, Sales & Estimation, and Health & Safety teams.
As a one-stop-shop for sports facility design, planning, finance, construction and maintenance, it has been another busy year for our dedicated team! From continued work on world-class facilities for elite performance to small refurbishments that serve local communities, we’re dedicated to delivering the best value regardless of project size or scope.
Here’s a look at some of our favourite projects from 2021:
From specialist deep cleans to routine maintenance and expert repairs, our hard-working maintenance division worked to maximise the performance, safety and lifespan of sports facilities across the UK.
Freedom Leisure maximised their ROI by partnering with our dedicated maintenance division to deliver regular maintenance
Ahead of their fantastic promotion to League Two earlier this year, our team Maintained FIFA Quality Pro Performance at Sutton United
A specialist deep clean breathed new life into a pitch we constructed 9 years ago at Hampton School
That’s nearly it for another extraordinary year!
Our hardworking team will be taking a break over Christmas and New Year, with our offices closed from Thursday 23rd December. We’ll be back on Wednesday 5th January 2022 – Merry Christmas!
With an exciting 2022 ahead we’d like to thank all of our staff, partners and clients for working with us over the last 30 years.
Here’s to another 30 and a prosperous 2022 for all!
With our extensive in-house expertise across design, planning, construction and maintenance, S&C Slatter are your one-stop-shop for first-class sporting facilities.
We’re committed to producing facilities that are designed and built for top performance, maximum use and longevity.
Get in touch now.
Call 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
S&C Slatter are delighted to have been awarded a CHAS Elite status, the construction industry’s gold standard for accreditation.
As a committed CHAS (The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) Member for several years, this achievement is a testament to the continued high standards of work delivered by our teams and the fantastic efforts of our new health and safety manager.
CHAS Elite is the Common Assessment Standard, the construction industry’s leading accreditation programme. The Common Assessment Standard is recognised industry-wide and developed and backed by Build UK, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) and other accreditation bodies.
CHAS Elite status builds on the health and safety aspects of standard CHAS accreditation, assessing a company across a variety of additional areas such as quality management, environmental and corporate social responsibility.
It is awarded to contractors who are recognised as having the UK Market-Leading Compliance.
“Our CHAS membership and accreditation is part of our ongoing commitment to support the evolving needs of our existing and new clients. We are delighted that, following an assessment of the procedures and documentation we have in place across the company, we have been awarded this prestigious accreditation by CHAS.”
– Jordan Ostrowski, Health and Safety Manager, S&C Slatter
To achieve CHAS Elite accreditation, we have successfully proven that we have procedures in place to mitigate risks across 13 key areas of risk management:
As with all our procedures, accreditations, and partnerships, we continually strive to maintain and improve the high standards of working practices across the business – and have these regularly assessed and audited by industry bodies such as CHAS.
Our CHAS Elite accreditation demonstrates our proven procedures for reducing risk across our supply chain, to the highest achievable levels. This commitment and compliance with the industry gold standard means that you can be confident when choosing to work with S&C Slatter that your project will be delivered with minimum risk and maximum quality.
Over 30 years, S&C Slatter has evolved to become a leading one-stop-shop for sports facility design, planning, finance, construction and maintenance.
We’re committed to working to the highest standards, delivering first-class sports facilities and associated infrastructure for top performance, maximum use and longevity.
Get in touch now to discuss your needs.
Call 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
Following the refurbishment of their sand-dressed hockey pitch, S&C Slatter were thrilled to return to St. George’s Weybridge to construct two unique non-turf cricket pitches for the school.
Cricket is one of the main sports for both boys and girls at St. George’s College Weybridge, so when the school needed to construct a new cricket facility, it was important that the new pitches be suitable for all ages and abilities, while also being capable of top-level performance to ‘fully extend our most talented performers and enable them to play at the highest possible standard’.
Who better to turn to for top-level non-turf cricket construction than S&C Slatter, in partnership with Notts Sport for over 30 years. Having proudly constructed the non-turf cricket facilities at ‘The home of cricket’ for a number of years, we were delighted to install the same non-turf cricket system we installed at Lord’s – a NottsBase D System – at St. George’s, offering students a truly elite surface on which to learn and play cricket.
Learn more in our case study.
Working in close collaboration with the school, the 2x non-turf pitches were specially designed for the school’s requirements and objectives. Featuring a unique design, both pitches are 4m wide (more than 1m wider than a standard pitch) to enable players to run between wickets on the non-turf surface itself, protecting the surrounding natural grass during play.
The layout of the two pitches enables simultaneous play, so that the school (and clubs that hire the pitches) can have two matches running at the same time, or allow for coaching of different abilities at the same time.
Learn how the new non-turf pitches wowed the local cricket club in our case study.
Slatter Cricket & Play is a specialist division of S&C Slatter with an exceptional heritage in building cricket and play facilities, dating back to the company’s formation in 1991.
Projects range substantially in size, complexity and application but all continue to embrace and exhibit the same attention to detail and commitment to outstanding personal customer service.
Call 01635 34521 or email enquiries@slattercricketplay.com to talk to our experts.
It’s safe to say that competition was back in full swing last week when we held our Annual S&C Slatter Bursars’ Golf Day at the iconic Celtic Manor in Wales.
Taking place on the stunning Montgomerie course, the golf day was a great success, providing an opportunity for bursars to reconnect ahead of the much-anticipated ISBA Annual Conference 2021 at the ICC Wales, where S&C Slatter was proud to be a Conference Support Sponsor.
As with the ISBA Annual Conference, our annual golf day had been on hold during the pandemic and when the new date was announced, some eyebrows were raised in our team at the thought of what the weather might be like – in late November – in Wales…
We needn’t have worried. We were treated to a day of blazing sunshine and crisp blue skies, providing a striking backdrop for the stunning course at Celtic Manor.
The day began with our golfers checking in to receive their scorecards, golf balls and team numbers. Tea, coffee, and bacon rolls were on offer to all to help prepare them for the day of competition ahead!
With a short introduction from our Group Director Jason Douglass and our Contracts Manager (and golf guru) Wayne Sexton, our first team headed off to get the day’s golfing underway.
The 18-hole Montgomerie Course, designed by Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie, offered our golfers a par 69 challenge with spectacular views over Welsh hills and valleys.
Briefly stopping at the halfway inn for a lunch break at the 9th hole, the course offered a full day of glorious golf, with both team and individual prizes on offer.
To round off the event, we hosted a (well-earned!) three-course dinner for our golfers in the Via Julia suite at Celtic Manor Golf Club.
During the dinner, guests were invited to select their ‘Champagne Moment’, with some fantastic stories shared by each team.
Once everyone was well fed and relaxed, it was time for the competition results, prize giving and some more drinks to cap off a wonderful evening.
Congratulations to all of our prize-winners, it was a tight competition!
Thank you very much to everyone who joined us for the golf day at Celtic Manor – and to those who visited us on stand at the ISBA Annual Conference, it was great to see so many new and familiar faces after so much time apart, a fantastic event all round!
Give our friendly experts a call on 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
With a long established reputation in the independent school sector, we’re thrilled to announce our new three-year partnership with the Professional Association of Directors of Sport in Independent Schools (PADSIS), and Independent Coach Education.
Sharing a commitment to deliver long-term value to the education sector, this exclusive new partnership will provide PADSIS and Independent Coach Education members with access to expert guidance, workshops, and webinars to educate and support Directors of Sport in the development of sports facilities for Independent Schools.
With a proven, longstanding reputation in the Independent School Sector, S&C Slatter is a leader in sports facility planning, design, construction, finance, and maintenance. As an ISA Gold Preferred supplier, we’ve been trusted by clients for over 30 years, including Eton College, Charterhouse School and Holy Cross Preparatory School.
Jason Douglass, Group Director, S&C Slatter, commented:
“We’re proud to be partnering with PADSIS to support its mission to enhance the quality of leadership and management of sport in independent schools. Having developed an impeccable reputation in the sector over the past 30 years, we have an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by DoS, as well as the motivations and standards required by stakeholders that are unique to independent schools.”
PADSIS (Professional Association of Directors of Sport in Independent Schools) is a body endorsed by the HMC, GSA, IAPS and ISA that supports and empowers teachers responsible for leading the games programmes in independent schools, to assist in delivering sports programmes that meet and exceed the needs of the 21st Century.
Working in close partnership with PADSIS, as well as governing bodies like the RFU, British Gymnastics and England Lacrosse, Independent Coach Education provide training, recruitment and advisory services to stimulate high quality PE and School Sport in the UK and internationally.
Neil Rollings, Chairman, PADSIS, commented:
“Our aim is to provide our members with access to information and resources that will better enable them to shape the future of sport in their schools. Facility developments are an ongoing priority for all schools: as programmes and demands change, new and creative solutions are always required. We are therefore delighted to partner with S&C Slatter, to bring their highly-respected expertise to members who are looking for advice and guidance.“
We’re delighted to be embarking on this new, three-year partnership with PADSIS and Independent Coach Education and look forward to working together to support their members in the development of first class sporting facilities.
To find out more about our new PADSIS and Independent Coach Education partnership, please get in touch.
Call 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
Following our recent Q&A with our new Health & Safety Manager Jordan Ostrowski, we’re already welcoming another new starter to the team!
Taj joins us with fantastic construction estimating and design experience, as well as a keen interest in sport. Read on to learn more about his new role, background and experience in our welcome Q&A!
Hi, thank you! My first week has been great in all honesty. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but my new colleagues have been very welcoming and have helped me settle in quite well. I feel as though I am part of the family already! It’s safe to say I’m really looking forward to getting more stuck in and growing with the company.
I started my career in 2013 when I moved from London to Swindon, working as an Admin Clerk for Swindon Borough Council’s Highways Department. After a few months of being in the role I took a keen interest in how my own role fit within the roles of my colleagues, so from time to time I would shadow our supervisors and designers within the department to gain more knowledge and understanding of what they do and the industry in general. A little after a year of being an admin I was offered the role of Assistant Designer.
I continued in that role for 5 years completing my HNC (Higher National Certificate) in Civil Engineering Level 4/5 and would design highways throughout Swindon Borough, as well as creating tender documents for projects.
In 2019 I was then offered the opportunity to do estimating for a well-established tarmacking company. I spent just over 2 years with them, gaining valuable knowledge and skills while pricing jobs nationwide, providing very competitive rates for new and existing clients.
My new role here at S&C Slatter is in Estimating. The role itself varies, from being out on site visits to reviewing and pricing tender documents for our clients. As part of the team I will be pricing a variety of projects, while being as competitive as I can to deliver maximum value. The team we have here are productive, knowledgeable and ambitious and I know I’ll learn a lot from them.
Though I am still fairly new to the sports construction industry, the biggest change – as with most of the construction industry – has been to adapt to the challenges and constraints caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
At present I think the biggest challenges customers are facing, aside from common challenges such as funding and planning, are dealing with the continued impact of the pandemic and other factors which have led to labour and material shortages. That’s why it’s important to work with companies adept at forward planning and risk mitigation, particularly through having a skilled workforce available in-house.
To start with, my biggest challenge will be to learn and understand the processes and procedures here at S&C, then my focus will be on building a rapport with new and existing consumers, to work collaboratively to advise and assist them in defining their objectives.
Well, the main thing that caught my attention with S&C was the fact that they are a sports construction company. I am really into my sports and of course my career stems from a construction background. So far, I’m finding it really interesting too see how everything pieces together and I’m really looking forward to further develop my knowledge within this industry.
The first advice I would give anyone would be to avoid asking me anything too technical just yet, I’m in my first week so I’m still in the ‘smiling and nodding my head as I try to take it all in’ stage! But in all honesty my advice would be to always seek professional assistance from a sports construction specialist before committing to any works – whether that be a new development, refurbishment or maintenance. It will save a lot of time and money in the long run.
Wow where do I start! So outside of work I get involved with a lot of things entertainment wise. I often host/ present events and shows, I do acting from time to time so I’ve been a supporting artist in a few series, movies and short films. I also manage a few up-and-coming artists for their music. I used to play football, now I just enjoy watching it on my overpriced TV package. For the last few years (since the start of the pandemic) I’ve been getting more into investments and trading again. I live a pretty boring life to be honest!
It’s been great to see Taj settling in to his new role so fast already, a great asset to the team – welcome!
Our estimators are on hand to give you the best possible understanding of what’s possible on site, and at what projected cost.
If you’re considering a sports construction project and want to ensure maximum quality with minimal risk, get in touch with Taj and the team on 01635 345 21 or email info@sandcslatter.com.
