The Vernon Stockton Centre, Delamere, Cheshire

A national facility for the future of England’s forests

We completed the UK’s largest tree seed processing centre for Forestry England, at its Lobslack nursery near Delamere Forest in Cheshire. The Vernon Stockton Centre officially opened in September 2025 by Forestry Minister Mary Creagh, the centre replaces a seed extractor at Alice Holt Forest in Surrey that had been in service since 1964, and gives the nation a modern, purpose-built home for the work that begins every forest.

The centre processes up to four tonnes of tree seed a year, drawn from Forestry England’s network of specially planted seed orchards and seed stands covering just over 300 hectares of the nation’s forests. Trees grown from that seed restock working forests and create new woodland, and the species mix is deliberately weighted towards those expected to thrive in hotter, drier conditions, among them Douglas fir, western red cedar and Norway spruce. The result is a secure, home-grown supply of high-quality seed, reduced reliance on imports and the disease risk they carry, and greater genetic diversity in the forests of the next century.

Procured through Procurement Hub’s Major Projects Framework, the £14.5m programme was funded by the Government’s Nature for Climate Fund alongside Forestry England’s own investment. It is the second scheme we have delivered for Forestry England at Delamere, following the timber-framed visitor welcome centre completed in 2020, a building that has since improved the experience of the 750,000 people who visit the forest each year.

A timber building for a timber customer

A building devoted to the future of the nation’s trees ought to be built from them. The 1,957m² centre is framed in spruce glulam and cross-laminated timber, clad and canopied in Grown in Britain certified, UK-grown larch, and finished internally by the structure itself, the exposed timber does the job of both frame and interior finish, removing the need for separate ceiling treatments altogether.

What we delivered

• An 18-metre clear-span processing hall, framed in curved glulam beams thickened at mid-span where the loads are greatest, with spruce CLT panels spanning between them, eliminating purlins entirely to give a completely open, flexible workspace for seed processing machinery.
• A two-storey office and welfare building providing meeting rooms, a laboratory, cold and dry seed stores and a dedicated wellbeing room.
• Climate-controlled storage and advanced processing equipment, including cone dryers and gravity tables, capable of preserving conifer and broadleaf seed for up to 20 years.
• A Grown in Britain certified UK larch canopy and cladding, supporting domestic forestry and cutting transport impacts.

Engineering the open span

The processing hall had to be a single uninterrupted volume so equipment could be positioned and repositioned freely. A steel solution would have needed multiple purlins across the span, cluttering the space and undermining the openness the client wanted. Working with Ellis Williams Architects, Civic Engineers and specialist manufacturer Buckland Timber — brought into the design process early, we developed a curved glulam and CLT solution that removed the purlins completely. Engaging the timber specialist up front also allowed the design to be optimised as it developed: iteration reduced the CLT panel thickness from 180mm to 120mm with no loss of performance, taking out cost and embodied carbon at the same time.

Sustainability built in, not bolted on

Sustainability shaped the decisions rather than decorating them. The timber frame was chosen as a low-carbon alternative to steel, concrete and masonry, with material sourced strategically, British larch where local supply and short transport distances made sense, in-house UK manufacture for the large, curved beams, and certified European CLT and straight glulam elsewhere. All timber carried Grown in Britain or PEFC certification. On site, no excavated material was removed, avoiding the carbon and disruption of off-site disposal. The building was shortlisted for the 2025 Structural Timber Awards.

Skills and community in Cheshire

Alongside the build, our team created apprenticeship and work experience opportunities and engaged local students through our bespoke Green Skills Academy, combining curriculum-enhancing practical construction, STEM and sustainability lessons, with the team also leading and supporting local community projects focused on protecting nature and improving wellbeing.

What people are saying:

“We are delighted to be working again with Forestry England in Cheshire and creating a truly sustainable seed processing and nursery facility. Just as with the Delamere Forest visitor centre we completed in 2020, our experts prioritised sustainable materials and construction methods. The building is net zero carbon in operation and built using cross laminated timber (CLT) frame, as a sustainable alternative to steel, concrete and masonry.”

Michael Poole-Sutherland, North West Director, Willmott Dixon

“This investment marks an exciting next phase in our nursery operation building a state-of-the-art seed extractor. We’re delighted to be working with Willmott Dixon who share our commitment to building sustainably. Forestry England is the leading tree seed supplier to the public and private sector and this investment builds our capacity to deliver high quality seeds in the decades ahead.”

Imam Sayyed, Head of Plant and Seed Supply, Forestry England

“It has been a pleasure for Procurement Hub to work with Forestry England. Forestry England are always thinking beyond today, and that is the same approach that Procurement Hub takes in this ever-changing world.”

Andy Peck, Senior Client Relationship Manager, Procurement Hub