PROPOSAL FOR A
MAJOR NEW CLIMBING WALL
IN CAMBRIDGE
In answer to the current consultation on the SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE
LOCAL PLAN, Question 3:
‘what facilities should the a community stadium provide?’
In answer to Issues & Options 2: Part 1 - Joint Consultation of Development
Strategy and Site Options on the Edge of Cambridge CAMBRIDGE LOCAL
PLAN Section 10, Question 4:
‘Do you think there is a need for a community stadium serving the subregion?’
And Question 5:
Do you agree with the principles identified for the vision for a community
stadium?
January 2013
NEW CLIMBING WALL, CAMBRIDGE
January 2013
This study follows a submission in the Autumn of 2012 at the first stage of the consultation of the
Cambridge Local Plan and South Cambridgeshire Local Plan Consultation Process.
IT AIMS TO ANSWER PART OF QUESTION 3 of the current consultation process on the SOUTH
CAMBRIDGESHIRE LOCAL PLAN ‘what facilities should the a community stadium provide’
-
to reinforce the arguments about the benefit to the Cambridge Sub-Region of having a Major
New Climbing Sports Facility to complement existing climbing walls in the area.
This report seeks to explain:
-
why Cambridge needs more Climbing provision
what can Climbing Walls best provide for the community
where a New Climbing Wall will best be located
This report seeks agreement:
-
on modification to the LOCAL PLAN to include the need for a New Climbing Wall
that a New Climbing wall should be an essential part of a future Community Stadium,
on a search for a possible site
The paper has the support of:
the Cambridge Climbing and Caving Club
the Cambridge University Mountaineering Cub
Table of Contents
1
INTRODUCTION
2
THE CASE FOR MORE CLIMBING PROVISION
3
BUSINESS PLAN
4
WHAT CLIMBING WALLS PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY
5
CLIMBING GLOSSARY
6
PROPOSALS
PLANS
warehouse type plan
extended plan to integrate with a community stadium
PHOTOGRAPHS – climbing on a local lead wall
APPENDICES
1
Letters of support
2
Results of a Survey into climbing needs
Produced and published by Ian Steen, 48 Mill Way, Grantchester, Cambridge CB3 9NB steenian@gmail.com 07711 111985
Ian Steen is a retired architect and Trainee Mountain Instructor, with Mountain Leader and Single Pitch Awards, which qualify him to
teach on climbing walls and outside. He teaches climbing in Cambridge and elsewhere.
1
INTRODUCTION
Page 2
This report is the result of consultation between local climbing clubs, the British Mountaineering Council,
a survey of local climbers, consultation with neighbouring climbing walls and discussions with climbing
wall manufacturers interested in building a new wall in Cambridge.
For those reading this report who are not climbers, the different types of climbing and their appeal to
different types of people, are explained in section 3 below
2
THE CASE FOR MORE CLIMBING PROVISION IN CAMBRIDGE
Over the past ten years climbing has been one of the fastest growing sports in the world and this has
been largely due to the recent and rapid development of indoor climbing walls.
Cambridge and neighbouring towns all have indoor climbing walls, and these are as follows:
Town
Harlow
Milton Keynes
Norwich
Cambridge + close villages
population
100,000
250,000
100,000
250,000
area of climbing surface m2
1,000
1,500
1,000
500
It can be seen that Cambridge has a considerable shortfall in comparison with its neighbours.
In addition, Cambridge has a very large student population and the highest proportion aged 16-24 of any
u.k. city. Compared with similar cities in the south of England, Cambridge probably has more climbers and
Cambridge is growing rapidly.
There is a strong case for more climbing provision in Cambridge.
3.
BUSINESS PLAN
A warehouse standard of building within cycling distance of the City centre, with adequate parking would
provide ideal accommodation for a climbing centre. There will be a question of being able to create
height and how this is addressed will depend on the site. A conservative business plan might be:
Rent, rates, services, fitting out, staff pay
£350,000 / year
Income from say 800 climbers a week
£400,000 / year
Purchasing a building could make more sense than renting.
Recently climbing walls, in Cardiff and Milton Keynes for example, are not only a great success for
climbers, but also substantial financial successes. It should be noted that the popularity of the recently
bouldering wall at the Kelsey Kerridge Sport’s Hall appears to have far exceeded expectations.
A new Cambridge Lead wall would be a commercial enterprise, though heavy supported by local climbing
clubs, and two climbing wall manufacturers who already own and manage climbing walls would like to
build and manage a climbing wall in Cambridge.
4.2 WHAT CLIMBING WALLS PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY
4.1 A New Climbing Wall will provide for an established need. In a recent survey of climbers in the
Cambridge area, they were asked what type of climbing wall they would like to have. 50% said that they
wanted a bouldering wall and 50% said that they would like a leading wall, though many climbers
wanted both. The Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre provides an excellent bouldering wall, but there is no
provision there for lead climbing. A new climbing centre would have a substantial area for lead climbing.
There are currently several thousand people in the Cambridge region who actively climb. It is likely that
there is considerably more untapped demand.
Climbers travel from Cambridge to London, Harlow and Milton Keynes in order to gain access to a variety
of indoor climbing walls not provided in Cambridge. Many travel further to climb outside on rock, but as
this is weather dependent, most climbing is on climbing walls.
4.2 A New Climbing Wall will multiply the number of climbers. It is well known that new climbing walls
rapidly create new climbers. Not only does this provide a healthy social and physical participation sport,
but more climbers benefit all climbing walls in the area.
4.3 Climbing walls provide a place where children can learn; social, physical and mentally demanding skills
with the maximum of safety. They also provide the place for coaching older children to become good and
sometimes exceptional climbers
A recent survey at a neighbouring climbing wall showed that around 200 children were being taught
during a normal week, while their parents looked on with a drink from the climbing café. More children
were coming to be taught in the holidays, and many were progressing through the NICAS scheme. Young
climbers, mostly teachers with a climbing qualification, come in after school and at weekends to teach.
The children sign up in small groups for six lessons in half a term which enables all ages to progress to a
good standard of proficiency.
Parents bring their children considerable distances to learn to climb.
4.4 Climbing walls can provide for older climbers; at a wall near Cambridge, some come for weekly coaching
and social sessions or less frequent master classes which are extremely popular. In one weekly class, the
age range is 57-77! and some of them are as good as many younger climbers. However, for the older
climber, bouldering walls are not as good as leading walls. Older climbers generally do not have the
physical flexibility to enjoy bouldering as much as roped climbing.
4.5 Climbing walls can provide for the disabled to learn skills and confidence; as with young children, but
with greater teacher input, sometimes using a buddy system, disabled people can challenge themselves
and gain a great deal – particularly confidence.
4.6 Climbing Leagues and Competitions introduce a competitive element to climbing indoors and it is very
likely that climbing will become an Olympic Sport in 2020. Olympic climbing competitions only can take
place on leading walls. It would be wonderful if Cambridge could have a climbing wall suitable for training
and coaching Olympic athletes.
4.7 Climbing is a participation sport; whilst climbers are sometimes spectators at climbing competitions, the
vast majority of climbing involves very active and strenuous participation.
4.8 Climbing is space efficient; climbing walls can accommodate more participants in a given area than most
other sports, which is one reason why climbing walls are so profitable.
4.9 Climbing is fun; recently a climber said “it’s a thousand times more fun than going to ‘the gym’ and much
more sociable too!” Climbing is about strength, flexibility, balance, technique and nerve – as the danger
cannot be eliminated entirely, but for the most part it is good social fun.
5.0 THE TYPES OF CLIMBING/ GLOSSARY
Bouldering
Bouldering is climbing on short ‘problems’ close to the ground which has much in common with a physical
workout in a gym. Bouldering walls have soft matting to reduce the risk of injury and protocols limit the
height to four metres. Bouldering is not appropriate for young children as they do not have the reach
and strength of adults and they are more easily injured. Bouldering is also unpopular with older people
as they lack strength and agility. The Kesley Kerridge in Cambridge has a bouldering wall which is very
popular, particularly with young adults. Bouldering walls develop movement skills and strength.
Top roping
Top roping is as popular as bouldering. Top roping, as the name implies, is climbing attached to a rope
that runs through a ring at the top of the climb. If the climber falls off, he should not fall if he is properly
belayed at the bottom of the climb. Top roping is relatively safe and accidents are rare.
Top roping allows the climber to climb to a greater height protected by the rope. The climber climbs to
the top of the wall and is lowered off. Two people are needed to top rope safely. This is relatively easy to
do and can be taught to quite young children under supervision. As with bouldering, top roping develops
movement and strength, but there are safety skills of rope handling that have to be learned. These can
be taught by a suitably qualified instructor, but most climbers learn from their peers.
Top roping is appropriate for young children and older less flexible adults and is the safest form of
climbing. A New Climbing Wall would be mostly for top roped and lead climbing.
Lead climbing
Lead climbing is another form of roped climbing where a leader climbs from the ground but without a top
rope. The rope is threaded through snap links (karabiners) as he climbs. If the climber falls, he should not
fall far. It is more dangerous than top roping, more akin to climbing outdoors. Many climbers practice
lead climbing indoors and then transfer this skill outdoors to mountain crags.
A climbing wall suitable for top roping is not necessarily suitable for lead climbing. The greater the height
of the wall, paradoxically, the safer it is to climb on – as the climber is less likely to hit the ground in a fall
off a high wall.
National Indoor Climbing Achievement Scheme
NICAS is a very popular progressive teaching plan particularly suitable for children where they learn to
climb with ropes, learning climbng and rope handling safety skills under close supervision from a suitably
qualified climber. Each child has a logbook to record their progress.
Coaching
Climbing coaching was the subject of the British Mountaineering Council’s Spring conference in 2012. It is
particularly relevant if the u.k. is to do well in the 2020 Olympics. Climbing coaches are experienced
climbers with the ability to teach, particularly movement and training skills.
6.
PLANS
The plans below outline two of the many possible ways a New Climbing Wall might be arranged. Ideally
the building would have a minimum area of 1000m2, the higher the better.
The accommodation would include, a lead climbing area (up to 15m high), a teaching area (7m+ high),
a bouldering area 5m high, changing and wcs, reception, office, shop, kitchen, storage and a central
circulation and sitting area. The central circulation and sitting area is important for the success of the
centre, for climbers to relax, socialise and have a light meal, where parents can wait for their children.
Parking is essential as many climbers drive considerable distances to climb at a good climbing wall.
PLAN SUITABLE FOR A WAREHOUSE TYPE BUILDING
PLAN FOR INTEGRATION INTO A COMMUNITY STADIUM WITH RAKED SEATING
The lead climbing tower could be in a corner of the stadium between the banks of raked seating
APPENDIX 1: LETTERS OF SUPPORT
Cambridge Climbing
& Caving Club
Dear Sirs
The Cambridge Climbing and Caving Club would like to support in principle the proposal to provide a ‘Lead Climbing Wall’ in Cambridge
to complement the recently opened and very successful Bouldering Wall at the Kelsey Kerridge.
Despite having a very active climbing community, there are no lead climbing facilities within an hour drive of Cambridge. The nearest
facilities are Stow Market, Milton Keynes or Harlow. Climbers (at least those who have access to private transport) regularly make
these journeys demonstrating the strong desire of many climbers to participate in lead climbing.
We believe that the climbing population of Cambridge is already easily large enough and active enough to support two climbing walls
with different and highly complementary facilities. However, the presence of improved facilities can only be expected to increase the
climbing population of the city and encourage those from outside the city to visit which will add to the viability of both walls.
Furthermore, if the new lead wall were to provide regular teaching and coaching for children and adults, this would increase the user
base still further.
We would be very interested in seeing detailed proposals for a new lead wall and contributing to discussions on the design.
Yours Sincerely, Graham Dolman (President CCCC)
E-mail from Rob Adie - British Mountaineering Council climbing walls and training advisor
A lead wall in Cambridge would be complementary to the existing bouldering facilities in Cambridge.
Experience in other cities that are not currently saturated with climbing facilities has shown that where more than one climbing wall
offers alternative facilities, rather than taking business off each other, they actually create new climbers and complement each other –
especially if they offer differing facilities, i.e. lead to boulder. Cambridge is one of the few decent size conurbations in the UK that does
not have a substantial roped climbing facility and I am sure that there are enough climbers in the area to sustain both a new roped and
existing bouldering facilities.
E-mail from Pete Atkinson – former secretary Cambridge Climbing and Caving Club who advised KK on the new bouldering wall
As I am no longer on the CCCC committee I have forwarded this onto Graham and Chris for their input as committee members.
I have had a look at your proposal and it looks good to me. I agree there is demand for leading facilities in Cambridge which would not
directly compete with the existing bouldering wall. There will be a proportion of climbers who stop or reduce the number of times they
use the bouldering wall but at the same time improved facilities will also bring in more climbers and help develop new climbers in
Cambridge. While I agree a new roped wall will be more suitable for beginners climbing it is important that main emphasis of the wall
be to provide good quality challenging routes for experienced climbers which are regularly changed. If not it will not maintain interest
from experienced climbers for long. What we don't want is a another situation like at CRC where they just built a wall without
considering users or how to manage it. Subsequently it is only a beginners wall and after one visit I had done all the routes.
Management who understand the needs of climbers or at least will take advice is essential. Any improved climbing facilities in
Cambridge will be good for climbers so long as it is a climbers wall not just a beginners wall.
E-mail from Ali Banwell, CU student, climber with a climbing teaching qualification, who advised KK on the new bouldering wall
Many apologies for my delay in getting back to you, I’ve been completely swamped with PhD work recently as I now only have 5
months left to submit.
Anyway, I think your ideas sound great – Cambridge is certainly in need of a lead / top roping wall! Your proposal looks good but I have
one suggestion – could you perhaps state how successful the KK wall has been, or is that top secret? For example, I heard the other day
that 7,000 new climbers have been registered to KK since the new wall opened last year!
E-mail from Ed Feldman, President CUMC (2012)
Proposed Lead Climbing Wall Cambridge
As President of the University Mountaineering Club, I am wholeheartedly in support of the proposal for a ‘Lead Climbing Wall’ in
Cambridge. I would estimate that our club has around 100-150 members who regularly use the bouldering wall at the Kelsey Kerridge,
a large proportion of whom are on yearly direct debit payment schemes. However, our members as a club are still forced to travel to
London for the nearest good lead climbing wall. Lead climbing is an essential part and we aim to do about as much lead climbing as
bouldering. Having both venues in Cambridge would be a huge advantage to our members
If the new climbing wall could provide regular coaching, this would increase the number of climbers in Cambridge, and if the university
climbers could have a say in the design and management of the new wall (something which didn't happen with the bouldering wall, to
its detriment), it could vastly improve its success.
Yours sincerely
Ed Feldman, President of the Cambridge University Mountaineering Club
E-mail from Willem Carstens, Store Manager, Cotswold Outdoor Ltd, 6-7 Bridge Street, Cambridg
Thank you for your email. We absolutely support the project!
There is a definite need for another facility to compliment and run alongside the current wall at Kelsey Kerridge. As we speak to
climbers (new and old) regularly, they all seem surprised that an additional venue does not exist in Cambridge.
Should you need any further assistance please let me know,
Regards, Willem
APPENDIX 2 – RESULTS OF SURVEY INTO CLIMBING NEEDS
Approximately half of respondents wanted a bouldering wall and approximately the same proportion wanted a lead wall or top roping
wall
Most respondents visited other walls because they offered more than currently is available in Cambridge
About half of respondents said that they would be interested in climbing coaching or instruction