What are we proposing?

Bristow are seeking to create a new search and rescue Training Centre at the site via a phased approach.

The building will be rectangular in shape and located across the centre of the site. A service road, areas for parking and a service yard (with substation and refuse stores) will be located around the building along with landscaped areas.

The building can be broken down into two key elements which will be built in phases:

• A Sim Hall to the north; and
• A Rescue Helicopter Training (RHT) Hall to the south.

The Sim Hall will contain state of the art helicopter simulators for the training of helicopter pilots.

The RHT Hall provides an environment in which search and rescue skills can be taught and practiced. It will feature a 4m deep concrete pool to simulate operations at sea and mock helicopter units that operate on hoists. Fans will simulate waves and wind to replicate sea conditions for training operations.

A climbing wall will also be provided to enable the simulation of cliff face rescue operations.

In addition, a fully equipped medical room will allow for the transfer of patients to be practiced.

Photographs of a similar facility in Germany can be seen below. Unlike the facility in Germany, minimal windows are proposed within the RHT Hall in order to enable night operations to be practiced during the daytime.

The two elements of the building are separated by a 2-storey central spine which provides the main entrance to the building along with ancillary accommodation such as classrooms, office space, changing rooms and dining areas.

Windows will be focused within the ancillary spaces with (as noted above) minimal windows on the RHT Hall in order to simulate night rescue operations.

The height of the building will vary, with the Sim Hall being 13.2m from ground level and the RHT Hall being 22.2m from ground level. The height of the RHT Hall is driven by the equipment contained within it, including the helicopter hoist. Material choices, including the use of large fins, will add visual interest and reduce the overall mass of the building. It will have a similar appearance to that of other industrial and commercial uses within the surrounding area.

The building will be built via a phased approach with the RHT Hall built first and the SIM Hall at a later date.

Overtime further developments will take place at the Faraday Business Park, surrounding the building and it is envisaged that this proposal will complement the context of the area and provide a striking yet functional training centre for many Maritime and Coastguard trainee officers.

Operation

The Training Centre will be operated by circa 18 full time members of staff, with training provided to groups of up to 30 people (peak occupancy of the building will be a maximum of 50 people). It is envisaged that search and rescue trainees will visit from all over the country and beyond to use this specialist facility.

The building will operate between 08:00 and 20:00 with the occasional late finish of 22:00. Training courses typically last for 4 days.