Building the Future of British Forestry: Inside Forestry England’s Lobslack Seed Processing Facility

For sixty years, this work took place at Alice Holt Forest in Surrey, in a facility built in 1964. It served its purpose, but modern demands have outgrown it. The old facility couldn’t keep up with climate change, increasing tree disease threats, and the push to plant more trees while ensuring they can thrive in future conditions.

Forestry England needed something different. Not just bigger or better equipped, but a facility that embodied their commitment to sustainable forestry. And it made perfect sense to build it with British timber.

How Buckland got involved

Willmott Dixon, as main contractor for the £14.5 million programme, brought Buckland Timber in early. This wasn’t just about supplying timber – it was about collaborative problem-solving from the start.

Working alongside EWA Architects and Civic Engineers, we faced an interesting challenge: create a state-of-the-art seed processing facility with an 18-metre clear span warehouse, combined with a two-storey structure housing office space, a wellbeing room, meeting rooms, cold stores and a laboratory. All with timber, targeting net-zero carbon performance.

The engineering solution

The warehouse needed to be a vast, unobstructed workspace for flexible equipment positioning and efficient seed processing. Steel construction would have required multiple purlins throughout the span, cluttering the space and reducing the sense of openness.

The solution came through pitched curved glulam beams that are wider in the middle where strength is needed most. By using spruce CLT panels to span between the main frames, we eliminated purlins completely and created an entirely open workspace with minimal visible structure.

These beams – at 18 metres long with a curved profile – demanded precision manufacturing. We made them in-house at our Devon facility, which reduced transport mileage considerably compared to importing similar curved elements.

Forestry England’s Lobslack Seed Processing Facility

Strategic material sourcing

People sometimes ask why we source timber from different places rather than using a single supplier. The answer is straightforward: it’s about getting the right material from the right place.

For Lobslack, the design combined:

• British-grown larch for the external canopy (supporting local forestry and reducing transport impacts)
• In-house manufactured curved beams (minimising carbon mileage on large, complex elements)
• Austrian CLT and straight glulam (sourced from established sustainable forestry operations where it made commercial and environmental sense)

CLT wasn’t just chosen for its structural properties – it provided the superior airtightness needed to achieve near passive house energy efficiency. The exposed timber structure serves as both the structural system and interior finish, eliminating separate ceiling treatments.

All timber carried either PEFC or Grown in Britain certification.

Lessons for the industry

Early contractor engagement made a significant difference. Because Willmott Dixon brought us into the design process from the start, we could explore structural options properly, optimise the design, and prevent delays later.

A good example: original specifications called for 180mm thick CLT. Through engineering iterations, we reduced this to 120mm without any negative impact on performance – a substantial saving in both cost and embodied carbon.

The project proves that reliable, short programmes using CLT and glulam are entirely achievable. Best practices in moisture control addressed common concerns about CLT performance. Strategic multi-supplier sourcing proved more beneficial than single-source procurement, giving better value, lower carbon mileage, and wider design possibilities.

Forestry England’s Lobslack Seed Processing Facility

Why timber matters for wellbeing

The client was clear about wanting more than just a functional building. They specified a dedicated wellbeing room within the facility and prioritised creating a healthy workspace that would support their team’s mission.

Research from Mithun has shown that students in timber classrooms achieved 3.3 times higher test score gains and experienced significantly reduced stress levels compared to traditional environments. This isn’t just about aesthetics – there’s measurable evidence that timber environments improve wellbeing and productivity.

The exposed timber structure, natural light, and warmth of wood all contribute to creating the kind of workspace where people can do their best work.

The Impact

Mary Creagh, Minister for Nature, officially opened the facility in October 2025. It’s now the UK’s largest seed testing and processing facility, purpose-built to meet the demands of modern forestry.

Inside, precision equipment cleans, tests, and stores seeds under optimal conditions. The facility processes up to four tonnes of tree seeds annually from 13 specially planted orchards and 39 seed stands across England, focusing on species expected to thrive in future climate conditions – Douglas fir, western red cedar, Norway spruce.

This work reduces reliance on imports and associated disease risks, while ensuring future forests are genetically diverse enough to handle whatever climate challenges lie ahead.

When staff at Forestry England first walked into the completed building, several were moved to tears. The space made an immediate impact, and the building has even been named after a much-loved staff member too, cementing its importance within the organisation.

But the real measure of success is simpler: there’s now a building in Cheshire where people are doing essential work for Britain’s forests, in a space that supports them in doing it well. The building demonstrates what sustainable construction can achieve while securing the future of our woodlands.

Home-grown timber supporting the future growth of home-grown trees – it’s a fitting approach, and one we’re proud to have been part of.

Our team of engineers, carpenters, architects, and project managers are ready to guide you from initial design to finished build. Get in touch if you’re planning a timber project.