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An oak framed outbuilding for Adlington Golf Centre in Cheshire

Diversification delivers a driving range with a difference on the edge of the peak district.

Project Details

  • Cheshire
  • 2023
  • Outbuilding
  • 12 bays
  • £250,000
  • Driving range
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New opportunities

Having unearthed possible secondary business opportunities for their farm, David and Sandra decided to diversify some of their land to launch the first (and only) golf driving range in the stunning surroundings of North East Cheshire, in the Borough of Macclesfield: Adlington Golf Range – now known across the country and beyond as Adlington Golf Centre, which they run alongside their two sons James and Nick…

Acing customer needs with all-inclusive business plans

From the outset, David and Sandra wanted their golfing centre to foster a warm, welcoming, family-friendly environment. With this mission firmly in mind, over the years they developed adjoining land to create two nine-hole, par three golf courses where customers can pick up a club and enjoy the sport on a pay-and-play basis without needing a membership.

“Although we can facilitate up to 70 golfers hitting balls during the summer months, less than half this area was covered, so we knew we needed more covered bays to accommodate our increasing number of customers,” explains Sandra

“The driving range remains the centre of our operations particularly through the winter months when we have darker nights and more inclement weather.”

Choosing to build with oak and working with our teams

Aldington Golf Centre’s existing timber framed building neighbouring their driving range has always played a poignant role in its heritage, however, David and Sandra felt it was basic and functional in design and began discussing their options to uplift it.

“Sandra and I have always preferred timber as it has a warmer, softer and more homely feel than steel structures,” says David. “We have always dreamt of constructing an oak framed building and when the decision to extend our driving range became possible, it was a natural choice for us.”

The family had known about our teams and operations here at Oakwrights for some time and admired a large oak framed wedding venue we built locally.

“We met with one of Oakwrights’ regional representatives, Tony Williams, who answered all our initial questions before handing us over to Oakwrights’ commercial team. It felt like we were dealing with a family business and one that could see our oak frame project through from start to finish,” he continues.

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Oak frame outbuilding cost

David/Sandra explains:

“Our initial temptation was to extend with the same design and materials based only on cost, therefore our initial budget was modest. Having realised an oak structure represented an opportunity to remodel our building completely, we began obtaining estimates for an oak outbuilding and looked at this on a cost-per-ft2 basis.

“While Oakwrights’ estimate of £130,000 was for frame only and excluded groundworks, which we were fully capable of delivering in-house, we felt this was an opportunity we couldn’t ignore especially as we also recognised this project would become phase one of an overall three-phase development, leading to the entire replacement of our 30-year-old structure.

“When looking at the amortisation of this cost over its greatly extended lifetime, the decision became a no-brainer. To deliver the completed project came in at around £250,000, but if one considers that in any event electrical works, flooring and roof would be required for any given structure, then the real cost of oak vs. any other materials became entirely justifiable.”

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Key design features

It was vital that the front view of Adlington’s new building wouldn’t be obstructed by supportive columns, which presented a few challenges as the front 3m span was to be unsupported.

“A conventional frame has supporting posts on the front elevation, so our Head of Outbuildings Frame Design, Matt Atton, worked on a clever cantilever design, whereby a projecting oak beam was secured to the rear elevation only,” adds Tony Williams.

“This outbuilding consists of 12 consecutive bays and must be one of the longest frames we’ve ever built. It took around four weeks for our site teams to install and clad it back in 2021, with David and Sandra choosing to incorporate oak rafters into the roof that’ll age well alongside their bespoke frame,” he continues

“With Oakwrights, it felt like we were dealing with a family business and one that could see our oak frame project through from start to finish.” 

David

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Adlington Golf Centre puts its customers at the fore

With more bays to accommodate their growing number of golfers, Adlington Golf Centre’s customers have expressed how much they prefer the design, ambience and warmth the new oak frame outbuilding provides.

It has also helped David, Sandra, James, and Nick visualise what their plans to replace the 30-yearold existing building with an entire oak framed building will look and feel like.

David concludes:

“While the primary function of the oak frame outbuilding is to allow golfers to hit balls onto the driving range, the new layout and design affords us more room. Rather than just coming to “whack” a bucket of balls up the driving range, we can now create a more sociable atmosphere where food and beverages can be served and provide a better customer experience.

“Our customers love the new building with many of them completely wowed by its unique design, and what is there not to love about natural and sustainable materials?

“What I love most about the project is the volume of the majestic oak crafted into a quintessential building with an almost ecclesiastical feel, especially with the ‘cloistered’ rear section and its voluminous roof space.

“The resultant design ticked all our boxes and exceeded our expectations."

Contact us

Want to discuss plans for your own oak frame project, organise a visit to our workshops, book a stay in our show home or just gain some advice? Please get in touch.

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