The Building of St Edward's School: A Chronology (1870 - 2020)

P AGE N O : 110 Two developers make proposals for the establishment of a brand new Leisure Centre complex on the site of the Douglas Bader building, but differing in the amount of demolition and rebuilding thought necessary, as well as what options may be left to the School in later years for further re-development. Both companies are invited to make presentations to the Governors with a target date of no later than 7th March 1997 (General Purposes, January 1997) Both developers make separate presentations to the Governors in March 1997. The first proposes a development of 65,000 sq.ft Leisure Centre incorporating three indoor tennis courts, swimming pool and with the provision of 156 car parking spaces. Envisaged membership is 3000 paying monthly subscriptions dependent on usage made of the Centre. The present Douglas Bader Sports Centre, C.C.F. offices and two residential bungalows would be demolished - the building work would be phased so that the School could still use the indoor facilities during the construction period. The plan of the second developer (First Leisure) is to expand their health and fitness operations by one of two models: the ‘County,’ 120,000 sq. ft including ten indoor and eight outdoor tennis courts which would require at least 9 acres of space /the ‘Esporta’, 40,000 sq. feet with no tennis or squash facilities. In view of the limited size of the School’s site the preferred proposal is based on the ‘Esporta’ model but retaining the existing Sports Hall and three squash courts and the provision of 250 car spaces. The membership envisaged would be 4000 people paying an annual fee. This development would not encroach on the C.C.F. office and bungalows and the School would have the use of the existing facilities during construction. The decision would depend on further financial and planning considerations to be worked on by a selected sub-committee (Governors’ Meeting, March 1997). First Leisure chosen as the the preferred partner for a joint venture for the new Centre (General Purposes, September 1997) Provision should be made for a third Girls’ Boarding House by 1999 if ‘the desired build up of girl numbers was to be achieved’ (General Purposes, February 1997) The Kendall Quad identified as the best site for a new Girls’ Boarding House with the earliest time for a definite decision being thought to be November 1997 (General Purposes, April 1997). Governors agree to the build-up of a new Girls’ House to be sited in Kendall Quad for occupation no later than September 1999 (General Purposes, June 1997) Oakthorpe House extension completed prior to the start of the Winter Term but the Macnamara’s conversion to a girls’ House has over-run, meaning that a great deal of work still needs doing even after the new incumbents arrive back (General Purposes, September 1997). 1998 - Warden announces the construction of two new Boarding Houses within the Kendall Quad with a scheduled start in the Summer Term 1998 and completion a year later. The current male members of Corfe House will transfer to a new building and the present Corfe House will become a Girls’ House (Summer 1998 Chronicle) Agreement reached with the First Leisure Corporation for the construction of a new leisure and fitness Centre at a cost of around £5,000,000 (£12,300,000 today) on the site of the existing Douglas Bader Centre. It will comprise a 25 metre indoor Swimming Pool, four indoor Tennis Courts, three Squash Courts, a large well-equipped Gymnasium, Beauty Salon, Bar and Restaurant. The School will have exclusive use of the new Sports Hall and changing rooms and ‘will have access at predetermined times to all facilities’. Work expected to begin late summer 1998 and will open in 1999. To be built in two phases - during the first phase, the Douglas Bader Centre will continue to operate, eventually being knocked down during the final phase. Planning permission granted in November Work in hand to upgrade the existing School Golf Course to ‘Academy’ standard Completion of the second phase in the conversion of Macnamara’s to a Girls’ House; also a start made on the new Boarding Houses in the Kendall Quad (Autumn 1998)