Fleetwood Community Hub
Community | Education
Project type
2024
Project completion date
1m
Projected value
4
Project duration (months)
Transformation of former NHS Fleetwood Hospital into a state-of-the-art Community Youth Hub
The ageing conservation area, which was largely unused for over a decade has undergone a sympathetic £1 million refurbishment, breathing new life into the building and providing essential youth services for the local community.
This innovative project, led by The Fleetwood Trust and funded by the Government’s Youth Investment Fund, has created a vibrant hub that not only bolstered local employment at both skilled and apprentice levels during construction but also created a lasting positive impact on the wellbeing and economic vitality of the area.
Krol Corlett won Social Impact Award at the Insider, Lancashire Property Awards 2024 for this very project.
Specific reconfiguration works included:
- Demolition and strip out works to facilitate the reconfiguration
- Construction of new walls and partitions
- Internal decoration works
- New floor coverings
- New ceilings
- New Kitchens & bathrooms
- Fixtures, furniture and loose equipment
- Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Service
Simon Krol, Director of Krol Corlett, reflected:
“Reuse and find new purpose schemes are a firm favourite of Krol Corlett. We are on a socially responsible mission to support grassroots regeneration.”
The new Youth Hub is designed to seamlessly integrate into The Hub Fleetwood building.
As part of a mixed-use community hub, it will join forces with partners such as the NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support, Regenda Homes, Blackpool and The Fylde College and other local businesses.
The hub will offer a wide range of provisions six evenings a week, ranging from Girls Hub, SEND, Mental Health, LGBT+ and ‘open to all’ access.
Equipped with equipment such as football, ping pong and air hockey tables, gaming consoles, speakers and arts and crafts supplies, it is hoped more than 200 children and young people over the age of 10 will use the hub every year.
Charley Wilkinson, Chief Executive of the Fleetwood Trust quoted to Blackpool Gazette :
“We are incredibly proud to see the work completed on this project which will undoubtedly change the lives of young people in Fleetwood.”
“The space is central in our mission to improve the area we live and work in and has been co-designed with young people themselves. Our thanks go to everyone involved in bringing this project to fruition including Masion Gillbrand Architects and Krol Corlett who have worked so hard to deliver it on time”
Challenges
- Working with an existing Live building. Attached to neighbours – including, North West Ambulance Service NHS station who occupy the larger footprint, so we had to be conscious of their activities.
- The hospital structure has a mix of new and old construction, so we had to overcome structural matters once we started stripping the building.
- Live tram line running in front of the building – so activities and deliveries needed planning
- Quick programme turnaround with a lot of design work, meant forming close working partnerships with project team – architect and contract administrator.
Through this collaborative endeavour, Krol Corlett demonstrated a commitment to social responsibility and community well-being.
Partnering with Blackpool and The Fylde College, valuable site work experience was provided to the construction students.
Krol Corlett Contract Manager, Simon Gornall (see pic) said:
“Apprentices are essential for the future of our business and the wider construction industry; they willplay an integral part in growing all businesses for the future. We are very proud to be working with Blackpool and The Fylde college and giving apprentices a real-life experience working on construction sites”.
In addition, we also had live site tours for students attending from local school Flakefleet, who all went away with knowledge of the new facilities and a Krol Corlett goody bag!
To find out more around this Award winning ‘Social Impact Award’ – see Insiders: Lancashire Property Awards article
Wyre Council’s Deputy Mayor Steve Nicholls was among delegates who attended the Youth Hub’s official opening. He said:
“This facility is so impressive. They should copy this model in every town and city across the country.”
Talks for phase 2 include:
- Co-working spaces
- Multi-purpose studios
- Meeting rooms and offices
- Garden
Lord Tom McNally, Fleetwood Trust Chair, Pictured here at our spade in the ground ceremony) said:
“The Fleetwood Town Community Trust have already established themselves as providers of quality services for the young people of Fleetwood and they are the ideal choice to take responsibility for delivering this part of our mission.
It is the intention of the Fleetwood Trust to provide, in partnership with the people of Fleetwood, a range of services and facilities of the highest quality at the old hospital.
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