UK: Lee Valley Ice Centre Receives Planning Approval

The Lee Valley Ice Center, a new ice sports facility which is planned to be developed as part of the 10,000 square metre large Lee Valley Regional Park in London, recently received the planning approval by the Watham Forest Council. With the design of the new venue, which includes two Olympic-sized ice rinks, the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority commissioned FaulknerBrowns architecture firm. The project, which will replace the 36 year old former ice center, is scheduled at an estimated investment of 30 million pounds (around 33.5 million euros).

With a capacity for 800 spectators the facility management expects that the new building will double the capacity to 557,000 visitors per year. A gym and exercise studio, a multi-purpose studio and a café are also planned to be integrated into the ice center. To keep the building's ecological footprint at a minimum, the facility will be constructed as tight and energy efficient as possible. Leighton Cooksey, Associate at FaulknerBrowns, said: “The Lee Valley Ice Centre represents an exciting opportunity to create a much-needed facility for London and the wider region, promoting participation in ice sports in a way that benefits the sustainability and biodiversity of this unique site.” (eap)