Berkshire private school to get new pool and sports hall

Reddam House, located off Bearwood Road outside Sindlesham, is a mixed sex  day and boarding school for children from three months to 18 years-old.

The school has now won approval to build a new pool shelter and sports hall.

Although the school already has a covered pool, the existing building was judged to be in a ‘poor state of repair’ according to a report by council planning officer Brian Conlon.

Meanwhile, officer Conlon’s report also stated that the existing gym at Reddam House is “not of sufficient size or specification to serve the Schools’ current needs.”

The replacement sports hall will have an observing deck on its first floor and expanded changing facilities.

The plan also involved the demolition of three ancillary single-storey buildings and low boundary wall, which would get in the way of the new buildings.

The demolition of these buildings allows for a new 16 space car park to be built to serve the new sports facilities.

The project was discussed by Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee, with councillor Rebecca Margetts commenting that the plan would be a ‘big improvement’ on the existing swimming pool.

Cllr Margetts  (Conservative, Finchampstead South) said: “Just from personal experience looking at these buildings this would actually be a huge improvement for the site.

“I’ve had the unfortunate experience of having to take one of my children swimming in that swimming pool so any improvement would be a big improvement.”

The existing pool building for Reddam House school just outside Sindlesham. Credit: Stl Architecture

The school’s owners required listed building consent for the project as the historic main building is Grade II* listed.

The main building, called Bearwood House, was built between on the orders of John Walter, the owner of The Times newspaper.

The house was sold and subsequently gifted to the Merchant Navy School to educate the sons of merchant sailors lost at sea, which moved into the house in 1922.

In 1966 it was renamed Bearwood College, but eventually became Reddam House in 2014.

Reddam House in Sindlesham. Credit: Stl Architecture

Because of its listed status, the school had to submit two plans: one outlining the project itself application 221843, and the other to get listed building consent application  222319.

Both were approved unanimously by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, April 12.

The new sports hall and exterior for the pool will provide facilities alongside the school’s existing , a 4G turf pitch, netball courts, tennis courts, dance studios and  grass pitches for outdoor sports such as rugby, football and cricket.

The decision was made by Wokingham Borough Council as it situated in Arborfield & Newland parish.

The school in Berskhire is one of 13 Reddam House schools worldwide, with the majority being in South Africa and Australia.