Speedcut expands sports facilities for Sittingbourne Community College

A major sports surface development project for Sittingbourne Community College has been carried out by Speedcut Contractors of Oxford.

The greenfield site consists of four football pitches, two junior-size pitches and a cricket square, adjacent to artificial surfaces for tennis and hockey. It is part of a £1.75million development adding to the existing 30 acres of playing fields.

Speedcut began work on the site in October last year when the sloping fields were laser-levelled and drained and left for the winter months.

For almost three weeks in April a team from Speedcut worked round the clock preparing seedbeds by stone-burying and grading, finally sowing an A20 Ryesport mixture from British Seed Houses (30 per cent Cadix, 20 per cent Danio, 30 per cent Gator and 20 per cent Vesuvius).

"This is a challenging project which we were delighted to be involved with," said Speedcut contracts manager Kevin Smith.

"The soil is very silty on the site and we are now looking for some steady rain to get the new grass established.

"The pitches will probably not be used this year which will give them time to settle over the winter months."

Speedcut's Paul Francis said: "Because the weather was so dry and hot in April we decided to stay on site and take advantage of the conditions to get the surface right. Some nights we were working till nearly midnight.

"It seemed a long haul but we are very pleased with the result."

The Sittingbourne project is part of a major expansion programme which has included, during the last three years, two complete blocks of buildings with four new buildings currently under construction.

Photographs :- Paul Francis on the final seed sowing pass on the pitches at Sittingbourne Community College. New college buildings taking shape in background.

*Speedcut Contractors are specialists in sportsturf construction, drainage and renovation. The company was established in 1977 and has a long record of major projects in every type of sporting venue, including golf, football, rugby, cricket and racecourses.
Clients include local authorities, schools and colleges.

SPEEDCUT CONTACT: Kevin Smith on 01865 331479