Site & Client Context

Hedley Wood sits on about 52 acres of countryside straddling the Devon-Cornwall border near Bude. The park is part of Park Holidays’ programme to upgrade holiday parks with high-quality leisure and guest facilities.

A new leisure venue was unveiled in summer 2023, offering a heated indoor pool, steam room, restaurant, terrace, shop, arcade and reception services.

Engineering Challenges & Solutions

The project required demolition of an older building and construction of a substantially larger facility on sloping ground, where excavation could generate waste. AWA designed retaining walls and multi-level floor plates to work with the terrain, minimising mass excavation. The site had been a former clay quarry ‒ subsoils not ideal for shallow foundations. To avoid expensive piling, vibro-improvement (stone columns or soil compaction techniques) was used to enhance bearing capacity allowing use of pad foundations. Drainage was also re-engineered: stormwater design accounted for increased roof and impermeable surfaces; toilet and pool wastewater required special treatment. In particular, the swimming pool back-wash water is stored and treated in a tank before controlled release to avoid environmental and operational issues.

Delivery, Collaboration & Outcomes

AWA managed structural and drainage engineering scopes, with a monitoring role to ensure quality throughout. The facility was completed on schedule ready for summer 2023. The upgrade not only improved guest experience but also set a new standard for holiday parks in the region.