Paul Basham Associates were approached by PDP Architecture and tasked with rationalising and maximising parking availability at Waterlooville Leisure Centre following the expansion of the centre onto the existing overspill car park and simultaneously ‘future proofing’ parking provision to support growth of the centre.
THE BRIEF
Following consent for the expansion of the Leisure Centre and subsequent closure of the overflow car park, our team were approached to assess the parking demand of the Leisure Centre, review the suitability and support the design of a single parking deck.
OUR APPROACH
The two key tasks assigned to Paul Basham Associates were to establish the current parking demand to ensure this could be met on site, and to maximise parking availability within the site boundary to better meet the needs of current and future members of the Leisure Centre. Initial works included visiting the site during the peak demand periods to establish the parking demand currently experienced at the Leisure Centre. This included identifying the existing number of spaces available and assessing the provision versus demand for disabled site users.
Our team produced a Transport Statement to follow up their on-site conclusions which detailed the existing and proposed parking strategy. As the application was seeking to provide a single parking deck, Paul Basham Associates detailed the ramp construction collaboratively with PDP Architects, ensuring that it would conform to design guidance but result in as limited ground floor parking loss as possible. As part of this, a vehicle tracking exercise was undertaken, ensuring sufficient room is available for vehicles using the ramp and that all parking spaces meet Manual for Street guidance.
THE RESULT
The application was granted permission in 2017 and we are looking forward to seeing the Leisure Centre thrive following its expansion and increased parking availability. With the continual build out of the West of Waterlooville MDA just to the north, this approval will help the Leisure Centre maximise their potential to attract a larger membership.