Our largest commercial project ever: Grosvenor Timberworks, at Hatton Heath, near Chester

Last week our founder, Neil Sutherland, and our Business Development Manager, Scott Reid, ventured down to Cheshire for the official opening of the Grosvenor Timberworks – the largest commercial project we’ve ever taken on.

Grosvenor TimberWorks

The project started some 5 years back with initial discussions with the Grosvenor team, though it was actually last year during the height of the pandemic that saw our workshop full with production of the entire superstructure, with the timber components then trucked down to Cheshire for assembly on site. The timber used was all sourced in Scotland, with a good percentage of it coming from Grosvenor’s own forest resource contract milled by BSW at Corpach, Fort William.

As can be seen in the photos, the building has a public face and separate work yard, and although the former has brick facing, the rest of the building is largely of timber construction. Its function will be the focus of timber processing operations and administration from planning forestry operations, milling, to drying and finishing timber components for Grosvenor property repair and sale. Firewood and woodchip for biomass will be produced also.

Here are Neil’s headline thoughts on the project: Although MAKAR is obviously most associated with the creation of carbon-neutral homes, we do also take on commercial projects when the brief is aligned with our values. It was clear from the very early discussions with the Grosvenor team that this was the case, and although the project has taken some time to fully come to fruition, the timing of the official opening seems very apt given the focus on sustainable building methods as we head towards COP26.