Contractors reach a milestone at a £22m project

The roof at a new leisure centre which will feature a GP is being installed as the project reaches new heights.

Bransbury Park’s multi-million pound leisure centre, which is in the process of being built by contractors Willmott Dixon, is starting to look unrecognisable as the team complete the steel roof structure at the hightest point of the building.

placeholder image — Bransbury Park | My Portsmouth By Drone

In a fortnightly bulletin update from the Portsmouth City Council, it said a specialist team is currently installing the remaining layers that will make the roof weatherproof. This is achieved through the installation of a vapour control layer over the steel roof, followed by insulation and then the final waterproof membrane.

During the process, regular independent inspections are conducted to ensure everything is being installed correctly.

Meanwhile, concrete is being poured on the first floor where the fitness studios will be located. The concrete has been power floated to create a smooth finish to get ready for sprung flooring to be fitted on top.

Brickwork is now starting to take shape at the bottom section of the L beams, which will surround the whole building eventually.

Work is also continuing around the pools. Now the main structures are complete, the pools need channels for water splashing over the edges, and the team have been installing shuttering to help build these channels.

Last month, representatives from Portsmouth City Council, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, local healthcare partners, Willmott Dixon, Mace and BH Live toured the site to celebrate the completion of the pool shells.

Once the leisure centre is complete, it will feature two swimming pools, a gym, studio spaces and a GP surgery which marks a first in the country. The centre is expected to be completed by the end of next year, with BH Live set to operate the facility once it opens.