As Technical Architect for the scheme, Ellis Williams worked closely with the wider project team to help deliver a high-quality, sustainable facility that will serve as the gateway to the ambitious Northern Roots vision. Following handover in summer 2026 and the site’s public opening in September, the new buildings provide a focal point for visitors, learners and local communities alike.
The £11.4 million development comprises a new two-storey, 1,155m² Welcome Building alongside a dedicated Forestry Skills Centre. Together, the facilities provide a café, shop, production kitchen, flexible community and exhibition spaces, and specialist vocational training accommodation for landscape management, crop growing and other land-based skills.
Northern Roots is one of the most ambitious community-led environmental projects in the UK. Developed through a partnership between Oldham Council and the Northern Roots charity. By 2030, the project aims to welcome up to 300,000 visitors annually, host 4,500 school visits each year and create significant opportunities for local employment, training and enterprise.
Ellis Williams’ involvement reflects the practice’s commitment to delivering projects that create lasting social impact while responding positively to place and community. Acting as Technical Architect, the practice played a key role in translating the design vision into a buildable, robust and sustainable solution, ensuring the project could successfully achieve its ambitious goals for performance, functionality and user experience.
Project Team: Ellis Williams Architects (Technical Architect), Willmott Dixon (Main Contractor), jmarchitects (Architect), Fairhurst Group (Structural Engineer), TACE (M&E Engineer), Turner & Townsend (Employer’s Agent) and Rider Levett Bucknall (Quantity Surveyor).
Photography Credit – Willmott Dixon Construction.
