Walkway Canopies & Shelters

Covered Walkway Canopies for Schools and Businesses

Our Spaceshade® covered walkway canopies provide safe, all-weather routes for staff, clients, or students moving around your site.

Designed for long-term performance, they can be tailored with optional side walls, integrated lighting, and solar panels - offering a durable, cost-effective solution that enhances safety, accessibility, and sustainability across your premises.

What our customers say

'Outstanding from start to finish'

'Kensington Systems were outstanding from start to finish! Laurie and the team kept us informed throughout the project and worked at speed to complete the job within our time frames.

We now have a space that is used all year round, which brings the outside in, on our wonderful site.'

Paul Symes

Headmaster, Aldwickbury School

Spaceshade enclosed walkway for MRI scanner - Kings Mill hospital (6)

Side Walls

Adding side walls on one or both sides of your covered walkway canopy provides additional weather protection, or can create a barrier between different parts of your site. Choose between glass, polycarbonate or solid side walls according to your preference.

Lighting

You have a duty of care to ensure the safety of people moving around your site. This includes providing adequate lighting for people moving around your site, with or without a covered walkway. Installing integrated lighting into your covered walkway canopy improves ambience and safety, especially during the darker winter months.

Solar Panels

A Spaceshade® walkway can be an ideal place to install solar panels. Designed for either built-in solar panels or standard rail-mounted types, your solar covered walkway can help you generate renewable energy, cutting your electricity bills and your CO² emissions.

Solar Compatible Walkway Canopies

Our Spaceshade® covered walkway canopies come with the option to fit or retrofit solar panels, allowing you to generate renewable energy to power your business and cut your running costs.

Fast-to-Install Canopies

Spaceshade® walkway canopies' modular design allows them to be installed quickly, with minimal disruption to your day-to-day activities. They're also ideal for hard to reach spaces like courtyards and narrow passages, as no heavy equipment is required for the installation.

Easy Maintenance

Our powder-coated aluminium Spaceshade canopies are extremely durable and corrosion free. With low-maintenance features like concealed gutters and downpipes, and a non-fragile roof, they're easy to care for and carry a 25-year life-expectancy.

Full project management

Enjoy peace of mind knowing we manage your covered walkway project from start to finish. We take care of everything, from groundworks, installation, surfacing and any electrical work required.

Case Study

Connecting Old and New at Dene Magna School

Connecting old and new buildings at Dene Magna School in the Forest of Dean, these Spaceshade® walkways create sheltered circulation space for students and staff.

Covered Walkways For Businesses, Sport & Leisure

Covered walkways for businesses serve as practical solutions for enhancing customer experiences and employee comfort, offering shelter from inclement weather conditions such as rain or intense sunlight.

These structures can also contribute to the branding and professional image of a business or leisure centre, providing a visually appealing entrance or passage for customers and visitors. Covered walkways for all types of businesses can offer better pedestrian flow and accessibility.

Case Study

New Walkway at Refurbished Triumph Motorcycles Factory

A new Spaceshade® walkway provides weather protection for staff and visitors at Triumph Motorcycles factory in Hinckley.

Covered Walkways for Hospitals & Healthcare Facilities

Covered walkways in hospitals and healthcare facilities provide vital protection for patients, staff, and visitors moving between buildings, shielding them from rain, wind, and excessive heat.

These structures not only improve comfort and accessibility - particularly for those with limited mobility - but also enhance the overall sense of safety, cleanliness, and professionalism within the healthcare environment.

Case study

King's Mill Hospital

An enclosed walkway with integrated barriers, lighting, doors and bespoke ramp provides a covered link between the main building and the hospital's MRI scanner.

'added an extra dimension'

'We’re delighted with our covered walkway from Kensington Shade and Shelter. It has added an extra dimension to our outdoor space. It fulfills its function of keeping children dry as they travel around the school site but also works architecturally in the environment. The muted greys of the powder coated finish work in harmony with other structures on the site and enhance the setting as well as forming a visual link with the outdoor classrooms.'

Jeremy Harrison

Hillside First School

'Very robust, look fantastic'

'The Spaceshade canopies installed at our new school are very robust, look fantastic, we are very impressed by the ongoing service levels received by Kensington Systems Ltd.

Our students really enjoy this new covered space that can be used all year around.'

Craig Davis

Perry Court E-Act Academy

'High quality'

'They were polite and professional and their products are high quality – we’re very happy with the end result.'

David Enever

Skanska UK

Stage 1 - Site Preparation & Planning

At Kensington, we begin by assessing the installation site to ensure it meets the requirements for the covered walkway. This includes checking for adequate space, determining the best location to minimise disruption, and ensuring compliance with local planning regulations. A thorough site survey will help identify any potential challenges, such as changes in ground level or the need for additional support.

Stage 2 - Framework Installation

Once the site is prepared, we will assemble the structural framework of the canopy. This involves erecting the steel or aluminium supports and ensuring they are securely anchored to the ground or building. The modular design of the Spaceshade® walkway canopies allows for quick assembly, making it easier to install in hard-to-reach areas without heavy equipment

Stage 3 - Completing the Walkway

What are covered walkways?

A covered walkway is a structure that provides a sheltered pedestrian path, typically featuring a roof supported by posts or columns to protect users from rain, sun, or other weather conditions.

It is commonly used to connect buildings or entrances in places like schools, hospitals, offices, and transport hubs, enhancing comfort, accessibility, and safety.

Covered walkway canopies can be enhanced by add-ons such as side walls, integrated lighting and solar panels.

Do I need planning permission to install a covered walkway?

Whether planning permission to required depends on local regulations and the specifics of your project. It's advisable to check with your local authority, and Kensington Systems can assist you in navigating the planning process if needed.

Our article about planning permission for covered walkways covers this subject in more depth.

What materials are used in the construction of covered walkways?

Our covered walkways are typically constructed from durable materials such as powdercoated aluminium, which is corrosion-free and low-maintenance. The roofing options include polycarbonate and glass, chosen for their strength and weather resistance.

Covered walkways can be customised according to your requirements, for example by adding lighting or solar panels on the roof to generate electricity.

Can I customise the design of my covered walkway?

Yes, covered walkways can be customised to match your building's architecture and your specific needs.

Options include various roof styles, colours, and additional features like side walls, & doors, solar panels and integrated lighting.

We can also include additional features, such as the bespoke ramp with edge protection which Kensington Systems built for King's Mill Hospital alongside a bespoke enclosed walkway to connect their MRI scanner to the main building.

How much does a covered walkway cost?

How much your covered walkway costs is influenced by its design and additional features you choose to add - for example, lighting or side walls.

Please get in touch for an accurate estimate based on your requirements.

What is the recommended height for a covered walkway?

There are no specific regulations that prescribe a fixed minimum or maximum height for covered walkway canopies.

However, we would recommend a minimum unobstructed height of 2.1 - 2.4m for a pdestrian walkway at a school or business.

For healthcare sites, we would recommend a minimum unobstructed height of 2.4 - 2.7m to ensure accessibility for beds and wheelchairs.

For industrial applications where vehicle or service access is required, a height of 3m or more is recommended.

For canopies with higher clearances, we recommend considering side walls if possible to ensure weather protection.