Copthorne Preparatory School

Sand-Dressed Pitch Construction

Client: Copthorne Prep School, Crawley

Contract Value: £561,000

Contract Duration: July 2021 – November 2021; with contract additions finished by February 2022

Blakedown secured the construction project following a competitive tender to build a new full-size FIH-certified hockey pitch.

The construction entailed a detailed design, incorporating a perforated land drain scheme, utilizing a portion of the excavated soil to create a surrounding bank, blending it with turfed areas to adapt to the surroundings.

Following the above, a sturdy base structure was installed, consisting of a geotextile membrane, 250mm aggregate, and a 40mm (10mm open-textured) tarmac layer.

Once the base had been completed, a 15mm in-situ shock pad was installed followed by an FIH-approved category 3 sand dress surface, with customized line markings as per the school’s requirements.

In addition to the hockey pitch, Blakedown undertook associated tasks to enhance the facility. This included constructing hardstanding areas, footpaths, and spectator zones, with access steps featuring handrails. The installation of 8/6/8 twin-bar fencing, ranging from 1.2m to 5m in height, kickboards, new LED floodlighting, necessary equipment, and soft landscaping complemented the project.