Technical standards

Colin Corline, SAPCA’s Technical Lead, explains how the SAPCA Technical Programme is at the heart of everything the association does and helps improve standards in sports construction

The Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA), the UK trade association for the sports and play construction industry, was launched in 1997. One of the main drivers behind its launch was to have a trusted body which would be able – in partnership with its members – to set the standards for excellence in the design, construction and maintenance of sports and play facilities across the UK.

SportsNation spoke to SAPCA’s Colin Corline to find out how the association achieves that in practice through its Technical Programme.

What is the SAPCA Technical Programme and what does it include? SAPCA’s Technical Programme is the overarching title for the work that the association does to develop and promote higher standards in the design, construction and maintenance of sporting facilities within the UK market. In order to facilitate this work SAPCA has, over the years, developed a number of Codes of Practice (CoP) for various sports and facilitytypes. These documents act as the minimum standards for SAPCA members to work to. There are currently 10 of the CoPs available, which can be downloaded from the SAPCA website: [sapca.org.uk/guide/codes-of-practice/](https://sapca.org.uk/guide/codes-of-practice)

The Technical Programme also oversees the development of new guidance on a number of wide ranging topics, to ensure that our members – and the UK market in general – are kept up to date on technical advances, policy changes, market trends and new standards for design and construction of sports and play facilities. To ensure that SAPCA is at the forefront of the technical aspects of sports and their individual requirements, we are also engaged with sports governing bodies in the UK and around the world, sports councils in the UK and other trade associations and standardisation bodies.

In order to support SAPCA members and to keep them informed about technical issues, we hold a one-day conference, the SAPCA Technical Meeting, where we facilitate a number of presentations, seminar sessions and forum discussion groups.

The development of our technical Codes of Practice and the opportunity to contribute to the development of relevant British, European and other sports governing body standards is at the heart of what SAPCA does

How closely does SAPCA work with the wider industry? We are engaged at both a national and European level with a range of organisations, including standardisation bodies and governing bodies of sport. As Technical Lead for the association, I represent the association and the UK industry – along with other industry experts from SAPCA members – at the European Standardisations Committee (CEN) and also work alongside our European counterpart, ESTC.

SAPCA also acts as the secretariat for both the CEN committees and the BSI committee in the UK. We are currently working on new standards for the quality of infills used in pitches and also a second piece of work, on the quality of yarn used in the production of synthetic turf, with the standards due to be published within the next 6–12 months.

At a UK level SAPCA has strong links to a number of sports governing bodies and also works closely with sports councils from the four nations. More specifically, I am a member of the UK Stakeholder Group which includes representation from Sport England, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), sportscotland, Sport Wales, the Grounds Management Association, Football Foundation, The Football Association, Cymru Football Foundation, Welsh Rugby Union, Rugby Football League and England Rugby.

POLICY

How important/big a part is the Technical Programme to SAPCA’s operations? The development of our technical Codes of Practice and the opportunity to contribute to the development of relevant British, European and other sports governing body standards is at the heart of what SAPCA does.

In addition to the codes of practice and other guides, we also have a series of working groups on key industry topics, which have been formed through engagement with our members. The focus for 2024 is developing some web-based guidance for different sectors of the members and the markets they operate in.

The working groups include one on recycling and sustainability, which remains a huge topic for the industry. We are currently working with experts in this area to develop guidance and position ourselves at the forefront of the debate with members and partners.

Meanwhile, in the play sector we’re developing some examples of best practice and how facility design has changed. Another working group is our sports lighting one. Lighting is an area where there is considerable guidance already available and we want to be an active conduit signposting clients to the right areas and the most suitable standards for their facility.

Which codes of practice is SAPCA currently working on? We regularly update the codes to ensure they reflect the latest insights, regulations and best practice. An example of this is the Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, which was republished at the end of 2023 after a series of updates on the use of covered courts. In the update, we highlighted the need for site-specific designs for the foundations of the courts – and more importantly for the padel enclosure and any covered structure. As the UK padel sector is still evolving and growing rapidly, it is likely that further updates will be made to the document in the coming months/years.

Looking ahead, the Code of Practice for the Design, Specification and Testing of Bases is currently under review and will be republished and available for download in autumn this year. The document, originally published in 2020, is having a period review and will be updated in accordance with any new design practices and changes to industry standards and guidance since its inception.

Another one that we are working on is the Code of Practice for the Selection and Use of Sports Performance Infills in 3G Artificial Turf. We are currently reviewing the code and will look to republish it by the end of the year. The changes for that document will reflect the ongoing changes in the design of 3G pitches and the need to retain infill within fields. There will also be additional guidance on the increased use of vegetal/organic and mineral infills.

What is the SAPCA Technical Meeting? Our annual Technical Meeting is one of the industry’s most popular events of the year, providing an unparalleled programme of seminars and workshops on the most important technical topics of the day. It also offers an invaluable opportunity for networking with colleagues from across the sports and play industry, as well as with our many guests from key organisations.

The great thing about it is that the event is open to everyone in the sports and play construction industry, whether SAPCA members or not.

The event is open to everyone in the sports and play construction industry, whether SAPCA members or not

This year’s Technical Meeting will take place on Wednesday 13 November at East Midlands Conference Centre, which sits within the Nottingham University campus. This year, topics will range from recycling, sustainability and stadia design to the latest changes to planning requirements in the UK. We are currently working on the topics and final programme and further details will be available over the coming weeks.

BRAND PROMISE

OUR VISION

ISSUE 1: MARCH 2017

BRAND GUIDELINES |

SAPCA’s goal is to deliver

‘Better Choices’ for our members, their customers and those who shape strategic decisions across our industry.

recognised

For SAPCA to be leading authority on the design, construction and maintenance of sports and play facilities across the UK.

06 | [www.sapca.org.uk](https://www.sapca.org.uk/)