Guide Dog Training Centre, Atherton, GDBA, Atherton, Manchester

• Client: GDBA
• Architect: Broadway Malyan, Manchester
• Market Sector: Animal Welfare
• Services: Structural Engineering

This is the second of a new type of guide dogs training centres to replace older facilities which are no longer suitable for the training of guide dogs in the 21st Century.

In one building, it provides GDBA an integrated facility kennels, administrative and veterinary areas and an internal training arena with facilities for the public to view the training process and welfare facilities. What sets this building apart from many other similar buildings is that the whole facility is designed to double as a training area for the dogs. Externally the site is subdivided into training and recreational areas, including character assessment areas, where the suitability of the dogs is assessed.

The structure is of braced steel frame construction with pre cast concrete first floors supported on shallow strip and pad foundations with ground bearing ground floor slabs. The drainage system incorporates a large rainwater harvester to collect water for washdown of kennel areas. Sited on an old colliery spoil tip, MLM Environmental carried out detailed geoenvironmental investigations on the site.

This facility was completed and became operational in 2009 and now supplies Guide Dogs to the blind in the north west region.

Download a PDF project sheet

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