Home > Awards > Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy Enhancement Work

Whole Project Award

Project client: Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA)

The project

The Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy will be used for Olympic and Paralympic sailing events in 2012. The enhancement works involved the construction of 250m of new slipways and ramps, a new pier with two yacht-lifting cranes, a new pontoon with 70 berths and a 200m breakwater to protect the enhanced facilities.

The project was completed on budget and ahead of schedule and involved reclaiming 18,000 square metres f land in front of the venue, using 80,000 tonnes of local Portland stone.

Protecting Wildlife

The construction plans were developed in close consultation with Natural England to avoid disrupting the local environment and wildlife. The initial set-up on site for the enhancement works took place in January 2008, but the start of construction was held back and programmed to start in May to avoid disrupting the nesting season of over-wintering birds around the local coastline.

Use of the facility

The National Sailing Academy will benefit from the improved facilities that the Games will leave behind, providing a state-of-the-art facility for elite training, competition and local community use.