The creation of healthy environments and buildings which facilitate activity is vital to support physical and mental wellbeing. Working closely with the leadership team at Simon Balle All-Through School, Saunders have developed a scheme which enhances the sporting accommodation available to students and the wider community. The proposed new buildings are prominently positioned, as the new public face to the school. They include a welcoming reception area, perfectly positioned to improve security through passive surveillance of the site. The development includes a new sports hall, suitable for a variety of sports, with associated changing and storage facilities. A planning application in support of this proposal has now been submitted.

The school is located in a sensitive location between residential streets and the Balls Park Estate, a listed park and gardens. The submitted proposals respond to the local vernacular through the choice of materials and detailing. The scheme is located at a distance from the heritage parkland of Balls Park and protected views across the site are maintained.

The new sports facility will support the sports curriculum at the school and provide a venue for use by the wider community. Located to the front of the site, adjacent to the car park, the sports hall can be easily accessed out-of-hours. Hence, the new buildings provide welcome opportunities for physical activity for students and the community alike.