Hillingdon Cycle Circuit

Requirement

Nowhere else in the UK is there a cycle circuit like the one at Hillingdon; it’s an excellent, traffic-free, 0.93 mile closed road circuit and it’s flat and fast. For keen local cyclists who regularly use the venue the problem was that there were no other amenities on the site, i.e., changing rooms and toilets etc. This was proving to be an obstacle for further development of the site’s use nationally.

After five years of using old building site huts, the London Borough of Hillingdon and Sport England moved in with generous grants towards the site’s further development. Designed by Christopher Richards of architects Acanthus LW, the new clubhouse used Wernick Buildings’ modular technology to achieve an impressive, rapid and cost-effective result that includes a range of clubhouse facilities. The borough and the architects decided to use a modular building system of construction because of cost implications and critical time restraints. There was a very tight six month deadline on the use of the grants. Wernick delivered and positioned the nine modules that comprise the modular building in one day. Internal and external finishing work took 16 weeks to complete from the date of delivery to site.

This new facility has enabled the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit Users Group to gradually expand usage, particularly with their winter series of events, which have been a huge success claims Stuart Benstead, its vice chairman.

In the last year the circuit has been used by 450 registered British Cycling (BC) members. “Cycling no longer has a cloth cap image”, claims Mark Doel, BC’s central region events officer. “In order to expand creatively in the UK we need good officials who are properly trained. This is where this new centre will be invaluable”.

The circuit is positioned on a clear area of heath that is designated as Minet Country Park. This required local government officials and Wernick Buildings to co-operate closely to protect the environment. Amongst the additions to the new modular building are nesting boxes for bats, swifts and other birds. The Wernick building is also entirely clad in attractive ThermoWood, which is a heat-treated wooden finish that resists rot and has increased durability and stability.