New welcome centre completed

Chartered Builders, Greendale Construction Limited, has completed the iconic new Upton Country Park Welcome Centre. Located in the main car park, the stunning superstructure has been built using local Purbeck stone walling with laser cut wording on dressed stone signage, with contrasting sweet chestnut cladding on the walls and overhanging soffits.

The Welcome Centre boasts a bio-diverse living meadow roof, planted up with 34 species of wildflowers. A powder-coated, aluminium metal cladding fascia compliments the main atrium area, with the building benefitting from non-slip porcelain tiles and underfloor heating, partly fuelled by an air source heat pump. Low energy LED lighting has been installed throughout the building. Three insect hotels have been created and framed in dressed stone, located in the Purbeck walling, with a number of swallow nest cups and bat boxes installed. The Welcome Centre has new unisex toilet facilities, a baby area and accessible WC. rating of very good. The sustainability framework is underpinned by credible science, allowing the assessment process to identify valuable insights on the asset’s performance. The internationally recognised and third-party cert ification, BREEAM, provides assurance and validation of the data collated throughout the assessment.

A secure staff area and gift/display area has been formed which can be closed off by automatic roller security shutters. The doors into the Welcome Centre a re on automatic movement sensors. Externally, the new perimeter courtyard has coloured Tarmac, with bollards made with oak from the estate. The Welcome Centre has been given a BREEAM