EcoSport Innovations

Linkedin
Menu
Speak to Consultant
Menu

Services We Offer

Sports facility consultancy

We support sports facility projects from the first idea to long after the surface is laid. Six stages. One trusted expert across all of them.

Project Lifecycle

We handle every stage of the project

Not every client needs every stage. Quite a few engagements pick up at stage 3 or 4. We come in wherever you need us.

1. Feasibility & Strategy

Site assessment, viability studies, business case​.

2. Funding & Procurement

Grant applications, framework navigation, tender strategy​.

3.Design & Planning

Specification, planning permission, sustainability design​​.

4. Project Management

Contractor selection, programme oversight, quality control.

5. Quality Assurance & Testing

Post-installation testing, compliance verification.

6. Aftercare & Maintenance Strategy

Long-term performance planning.

Specialist Services

Helping Local Clubs to Olympic-level projects

View Services

Direct2Pitch resurfacing

Engage with manufacturers directly and appointing installation crews separately, reducing your costs.

Topographical land surveys

In-house using RTK-corrected GNSS with base station, centimetre accuracy, nationwide, post-processed in AutoCAD

Expert witness

Registered on Your Expert Witness and UK Register of Expert Witnesses directories; covering injury compensation, liability, insurance claims for sports surface disputes

Principal Designer under CDM 2015

pre-construction health and safety management

Surface Specialists

Indoor synthetic sports facilities

Sustainability design

2031 transition planning

Olympic-level project experience

Cross-island scope

We work across all major sports surfaces

Football

3G pitches, FIFA Quality Pro design

Rugby

3G pitches, World Rugby Regulation 22

Hockey

Water-based, sand-dressed, dry pitches; FIH approved

MUGA

Multi-use games areas, BS EN 15330 compliant

Athletics

World Athletics Class 1 and Class 2 tracks

Cricket

Non-turf and natural surfaces, ECB standards

GAA

Pitch construction for ROI and NI clubs

Speak to Consultant

Case Studies

successful projects & our Research

"Working with EcoSport Innovations took the pressure off the club and their specialist knowledge became invaluable. Their angle on sustainability is unique and gives us peace of mind we have done what we can to minimise our impact on the environment."
Ryan Moore
Limavady Football Club

Contact Us

get you project off the ground

“Every project starts with a conversation with me. No account managers, no handoffs, no being passed to a junior. If we’re a good fit for your project, you’ll know within the first call.” – Nick Rickerby

Speak to Consultant
Nick Rickerby
Principlay Consultant
Ian Stoneman
Environmental Consultant

Frequently Asked Questions

EcoSport Innovations strive to be as transparent and informative as possible. If you don’t see your question answered below, drop us an email!

Ask a Question

What stages does EcoSport's consultancy cover?

We cover six stages of the sports facility lifecycle: feasibility and strategy, funding and procurement, design and planning, project management, quality assurance and testing, and aftercare and maintenance strategy. Not every client needs every stage. Many engagements start at stage three or four. We come in wherever you need us, and we will tell you honestly if you do not need a particular stage.

A specification defines exactly what will be built: the surface system (fibre type, pile height, infill material), the sub-base construction, the drainage design, shock pad requirements, line markings, fencing, floodlighting, and all associated infrastructure. A well-written specification protects you by ensuring every contractor is pricing the same thing, creating a genuinely comparable tender process. A poorly written specification is the single most common cause of project problems.

Direct2Pitch is our innovative approach to resurfacing projects. Instead of going through a main contractor or management company, we engage the surface manufacturer directly and separately appoint the installation workforce. This removes layers of margin, saving significant cost while maintaining quality. We manage the entire process from system selection and manufacturer negotiation to logistics and quality control. This makes sure the material warranty sits directly with the manufacturer rather than through an intermediary.

Yes. We are qualified to fulfil the Principal Designer role under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. This means we can manage pre-construction health and safety responsibilities, coordinate design work, and ensure that risks are identified and managed from the earliest stages of your project. This is a legal requirement for most construction projects and is often overlooked in sports facility procurement.
Yes. We are registered expert witnesses specialising in sports surfaces of all kinds. Whether the issue involves compensation for injury, liability in litigation, or insurance claims for damage from natural or man-made causes, we analyse the evidence, determine fault, and provide recommendations with costings for correction and remedial works. We are listed on the Your Expert Witness and UK Register of Expert Witnesses directories.

What testing does EcoSport carry out during and after construction?

We carry out key stage inspections throughout the build, including CBR checks (using Dynamic Cone Penetrometer testing), porosity testing, surface flatness assessment using PRIMA equipment, and full performance testing to the relevant governing body standard (FIFA, World Rugby, FIH, or BS EN 15330). Post-installation testing verifies that the completed surface meets the specification and is safe for play. These tests are essential. Skipping them is one of the most common and costly mistakes in sports facility projects.

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) means leaving the natural environment in a measurably better state than before the project started. EcoSport incorporates BNG into planning applications where possible, which strengthens applications significantly. Practical measures include bio-basin and bio-retention water management systems (which support local ecology), native planting around facility perimeters, wildlife-friendly drainage design, and sustainable material specification. BNG is increasingly becoming a planning requirement for new developments in England.
A bio-basin is a shallow, planted depression designed to collect and slowly release surface water runoff, allowing natural filtration and supporting biodiversity. A bio-retention system is a more engineered solution that uses layered soil, gravel, and planting to filter water before it enters the drainage network. Both are alternatives to conventional plastic ‘egg-crate’ water attenuation systems, which cannot be maintained and offer no environmental benefit. EcoSport actively specifies bio-basins and bio-retention systems to eliminate plastic attenuation and provide genuine ecological value.
We provide tailored aftercare guidance for every project, covering maintenance schedules, infill top-up requirements, brushing frequency, decompaction intervals, and drainage maintenance. Correct aftercare is the single biggest factor in whether a pitch achieves its full design life (8–12 years for the surface, 25+ years for the sub-base). We also offer periodic aftercare visits to assess surface condition and recommend any corrective action before problems become expensive.

Yes, in almost every case. A specialist pitch consultant understands common pitfalls and can design out risks before they become expensive problems. We create a competitive tendering process that ensures you are not overpaying, and we control additional spend throughout the build. In addition, EcoSport understands how to guide key design elements in more environmentally friendly directions without increasing the overall budget. For example, eliminating expensive plastic attenuation systems in favour of bio-basins that cost less and provide ecological benefit.