Swimming Pool for Sandybrook Country Park in the Peak District

The Problem

Situated near Ashbourne at the southern tip of the Peak District National Park, Sandybrook Country Park was acquired by Pinelodge Holidays in 1999. Originally offering pitches for touring caravans and tents, it has since been developed with new facilities added to match those found at the company’s other property, Darwin Forest Country Park.

With open views over surrounding countryside, old walled gardens and mature woodland Sandybrook is an unspoilt place where visitors can spend a relaxing holiday. Although visitors have easy access to attractions in the area, management appreciated that to enjoy better occupancy levels and achieve premium letting rates, additional leisure facilities including an indoor swimming pool would be required.

The Solution

Derbyshire Dales District Council had demanded that although the new building could be sited near the Park entrance and inside the walled garden it must not be visible from outside the walls or from the Ashbourne to Buxton road. These stipulations were achieved by the provision of a long, low building, partially built into the hillside and finished with a shallow pitched roof.

Built from redwood that blends in with the environment, the new 325 sq metre building incorporates a 12 m x 6m swimming pool with toddlers’ pool, viewing/relaxing areas, changing rooms with showers and toilets, an office, laundry and main reception.

The building makes extensive use of laminated timber beams, has high levels of insulation and an internal redwood finish complemented by the use of coloured
vinyl. Glazed doors which allow access onto the sun terrace, combine with a glazed cupola to feed in natural light.

A further challenge for the team was that we had to comply with a very rapid build programme that would ensure that the new facilities were ready for the main 2002 holiday season.

The Benefits

Said a spokesman: “As we incorporated this new facility into our advance publicity, we have already noticed the effect. Our bookings are already well ahead of target and the reaction from the first users since the pool opened has been terrific.”