KC Stadium and Sports Park*
Adjacent council owned wasteland was used for the disposal of excavated material and was converted to an ecology park.
Date: 1999 – 2002
Client: Hull City Council
Project Location: Kingston upon Hull, UK
Services Provided: Project Management, Design Management, Value and Risk Management, Contract Administration, Engineer to the Contract
Paul led the feasibility study, business case and project management of this local authority owned sports park. Completed in 2002, the central feature was a new stadium, designed for a capacity of 25,000 seats at a cost of £46M. As UK’s first new local authority funded stadium, a key objective was low operating costs to avoid additional burden to ratepayers
The overall project combined a number of community facilities located within the sports park in support of the stadium including artificial turf pitches, sports centre and skate park. The design required the careful integration of the new facilities with the existing parkland setting. Introducing a new reason to visit the park and new amenities acted as a catalyst for rejuvenating this space and returning it to its former status as the city’s premier park and activity hub.
The business case and feasibility study identified commercial opportunities for anchor tenants, local educational establishments and hospitality events. Smart design maximised the lettable space within the stadium whilst optimising overall stadium dimensions and construction costs.
Adjacent council owned wasteland was used for the disposal of excavated material and was converted to an ecology park.
Lessons to be shared
The project was delivered to both time and budget. A major factor in its success was the early agreement of project culture and behaviours between all parties and the adherence to them throughout. A truly collaborative approach meant that issues were jointly addressed proactively rather than confrontationally.
*This case study reflects a project undertaken by Paul Haggath pre-TEAM