Calton Le Willows Academy’s 3G Sports Pitch

Products: Slopeloc 

Project location: Guildford County School 

Client: Carlton Le Willows Academy 

Specifiers: McArdle Sport Tec 

We are delighted to have supplied more than 80 square metres of Slopeloc block to help create a 3G sports pitch for Nottinghamshire based school, Carlton Le Willows Academy. 

Specified by McArdle Sport Tec, the UK's leading sports facility construction company, with partners TigerTurf UK; the Slopeloc block will form part of a perimeter wall that will surround the artificial pitch, offering a natural and durable playing solution for clubs and educational establishments. 

Third Generation sports pitches are currently the only approved surfaces by both FIFA and World Rugby and requires infill in order for the fibres to remain upright and to maximise playability and safety. 

The pitch was created with the support of a Government backed sports charity in a bid to encourage grassroots football in the local area and to improve the mental and physical health of students and local residents. 

With the development located in a school facility, a high quality perimeter and fencing solution was required to ensure safety and security at all times. Additionally, an aesthetically pleasing system was needed to complement the new sports pitch and the surrounding buildings of the school. As a result, McArdle Sports Tec worked closely with Ibstock to create a bespoke charcoal colour. 

Jason Amson-Orth, Site Manager for McArdle Sports Tec, commented: “Partners TigerTurf UK & McArdle Sport Tec were awarded the Carlton Le Willows project at the beginning of 2020. The community 3G football pitch was completed on time with the programme, whilst upholding health and safety safeguarding measures to ensure the protection of vulnerable people, we specified materials, which, could be installed quickly and easily without compromising on quality and longevity. With this in mind, we turned to Ibstock's Slopeloc block.” 

As a dry lay block for retaining slopes, Ibstock's Slopeloc can be used domestically or for larger scale commercial applications. Usually available in three colour variants, Ibstock's technical and production teams are able to work towards creating special order colours suitable for varied applications. 

Jason continued: “Slopeloc is available in three select colours, however, with Ibstock's special order colours, we were able to select a finish that would complement the surroundings of the pitch.” 

Slopeloc features a unique ribbed face appearance that can be built as a gravity wall, and therefore be easily erected and provides a unique, economical alternative to vertical retaining walls. 

Tim Fields, Technical and Development Manager at Ibstock, added: “The Carlton Le Willows academy was an exciting project to be involved with, particularly when working closely with the sports charities and McArdle Sports Tec. 

“The Slopeloc block is popular among landscape contractors due to its ability to be used for garden retaining walls, as well as larger scale projects such as embankment repairs and perimeter walls. The block is available in a variety of colours, so contractors can rest assured that they can specify a block that is in keeping with the design of surrounding buildings.”