The steel skeleton of Winchester’s future sports landmark now rises above St Swithun’s School, marking the topping out of the £12 million Building Active Lives facility. Construction crews finished the glulam frame and tensile roof last week, four months ahead of schedule, as guests toured the sunlit cavern of the soon-to-be indoor courts.
Headmistress Jane Gandee joined Bramston Foundation trustees and Winchester councillors to unveil a brass plaque in the spectator gallery, celebrating the collaborative push that started in March 2024. The ceremony capped a year that has seen the school donate 890 meals to families and charities, while students raised £18,000 for local causes by walking on fire through the school grounds.
Key Points
- ✅ £12 million project fully funded by school and Bramston Foundation
- ⚡ Six-storey structure topped out four months early
- 💡 Phase one delivers indoor tennis and netball courts by autumn 2026
Cllr Sudhakar Achwal, outgoing mayor of Winchester, told the gathering the centre would anchor the city’s push for healthier lifestyles. “This is not just a building; it’s a catalyst for change,” Achwal said. Emeritus Professor Natalie Lee, Bramston Foundation vice-chair, confirmed the next phase will add studios, a gym and a café, turning the hub into a year-round destination for 2,000 pupils and 500 community members.
| Phase | Features | Completion |
|---|---|---|
| One | Indoor tennis & netball courts, spectator gallery | Autumn 2026 |
| Two | Studios, gym, café, community foyer | Summer 2027 |
Construction began in August 2025 with a stripped car park and 1,500 tonnes of sub-base laid to level the site. By December, crews installed drainage runs and ducts, then shifted to the glulam columns that now frame the building. Internal walls went up in March, followed by wall panels, the mezzanine floor and the first electrical fix. Exterior brickwork on the south façade is nearly complete, leaving only roofing membranes and facade cladding for the final push.
💡 Pro Tip
Book a tour on the senior school open day, 20 June, to see the courts before the dust settles; early visits let families preview layouts and meet the design team.
Jon Riley, the school’s newly appointed director of sport with 19 years in teaching, said the centre would redefine what it means to be active at St Swithun’s. “We’re moving beyond squash courts and changing rooms,” Riley said. “This is a place where a Year 7 netball beginner and an Oxbridge hopeful can train side by side.” The school secured a record 23 Oxbridge offers this year, a figure Riley credits partly to the growing sporting culture.
📋 By The Numbers
- 1,500 tonnes — Sub-base laid to level the sports centre site
- 500 — Projected annual community users after phase two opens
- 23 — Oxbridge offers secured by students in 2025
The Building Active Lives project is the largest single investment in school sports infrastructure in Hampshire since 2018. Local councillors have already pencilled in £4.2 million of future road repairs around the school gates to ease congestion when the courts open. With the frame now standing tall, the focus shifts to finishes, fittings and the phased handover that will finish in time for the first autumn term of 2026.