Our Projects: Old Woking Community Centre, Extension and Renovations
On Wednesday 8th November 2023, the newly renovated Old Woking Community Centre was officially opened.
The project aimed to improve the outdated facilities for the Old Woking Community Association (OWCA), the existing users of the building, and to provide a home for Woking College’s performing arts department.
The centre now has a two storey extension, a refurbished main hall, a new dance studio with specialist dance floor, a new children’s nursery, café and toilet facilities. Two new lifts have been installed to improve accessibility, one in the main entrance for use by the community and another next to the old library for use by students at Woking College.
Additionally, the 1960s building has been converted into a low-carbon, future proofed community centre with a low running cost. The introduction of energy saving measures include five air source heat pumps, double and triple glazed external windows and a fully insulated roof lined with solar panels.
The centre also has a new car park with electrical charging points and bicycle storage.
The partnership agreement between Woking College and OWCA required a collaborative approach to ensure that the centre worked for both parties’ separate uses. This included supporting the OWCA in keeping their nursery in operation during construction and completing the project for Woking College in time for the new Autumn 2023 term.
The project was supported with a significant contribution from Woking Borough Council and parts of the scheme were made possible with a grant from Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey which Synergy was delighted to support the OWCA in applying for.
Photography courtesy of Macallan Penfold Chartered Architects
- Client: Woking Borough Council
- Sector: Culture and Community
- Services: Cost ConsultancyProject Management
- Contract: £2.8m
