Kier appointed to Chelmsford leisure and ice rink complex

Kier, which specialises in construction, property, residential and services, has been appointed to work on a new leisure complex in Chelmsford.The community building, which will be built on the site of the existing Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre, will house a larger ten-lane swimming pool, along with two further teaching and fun pools and a flume. In addition, there will be a 120-station gym, health and fitness studios, crèche and soft play, changing rooms and reception area.A planning application for the new leisure complex has now also been submitted and will be considered by Chelmsford City Council’s planning committee in March.Construction of the new facility is planned to start in July 2017, with the opening scheduled at the end of 2018. The existing leisure centre and ice rink will remain substantially open throughout the construction, although there will be an impact on the ice rink towards the end of the construction period.Kier will be managing the pre-construction aspects of the development, initially working alongside the design team and will focus on ensuring value for money procurement, sequencing the works and ensuring the project can be delivered on programme.