Earlier this month, Bolton School submitted a planning application to Bolton Council for the construction of a multi-use indoor sports dome. The proposed new facility would be located at the southern end of the School’s Chorley New Road campus, and would be an exciting and much-needed addition to its current extensive sports facilities.
If approved, the new development would comprise of a 722m² dome, with retractable sides for flexibility, along with a connecting pavilion for classroom teaching and storage. The dome would be located at the south end of the Levels (adjacent to the lower Tudor Avenue car park), next to the First XI Cricket pitch and pavilion, both of which would be unaffected by its construction.
The School is partnering with CopriSystems for the project, who specialise in designing and constructing such customised sports facilities. Subject to planning approval, the School intends that construction of the facility would be completed by August 2027 at the latest, ready for the start of the 2027-28 academic year.
Philip Britton, MBE, Head of Foundation, said: “The development of additional indoor sports facilities for the use of students across the Foundation has long been a priority for the Governing Body. Should this planning application be approved, the sports dome will add much-needed capacity for curriculum teaching and extra-curricular activities in tennis, basketball, badminton and netball, which will benefit students from the Primary Division through to Sixth Form. During the past year, the School has received two hugely generous legacies from Old Boys who wished to support the development of our sports facilities for the next generation of pupils. Their generosity has made it possible for the School to begin this exciting project, as we continue to ensure Bolton School remains both affordable, and worth affording, for the families in our community.”
More Visuals of the Sports Dome:
