Project Spotlight -
Shackerley cladding is right on course at Newbury
Shackerley has supplied over 3000m2 of white SureClad® ceramic granite cladding for three luxurious and uniquely situated apartment complexes at one of the UK's premier racecourses.
Trailblazing developments at racecourse
Carruthers Court, Chatham House and Bregawn House have been developed by David Wilson Homes, part of the Barratt Group, in partnership with Newbury Racecourse in Berkshire. Two of the five- and six-storey buildings directly overlook the racetrack and offer homeowners spectacular panoramic views with their floor-to-ceiling glazing and spacious tiered balconies.
The three apartment blocks were the first to be completed on land adjacent to Newbury Racecourse, as part of a ten-year homebuilding programme, the largest ever seen at a UK leisure destination. Shackerley's white ceramic granite has given these trailblazing developments a crisp and contemporary aesthetic and maintained design continuity with the neighbouring grandstand.
SureClad® specified at the outset
Whilst main contractor Tolent Construction and Ian Springford Architects were responsible for delivering the buildings, Shackerley's SureClad® façade system was proposed at an early stage by Gloucester-based Roberts Limbrick Architects, and was specified in the designs that went out to tender.
"We particularly wanted to reflect the sharp and angular, tiered look of the grandstand," said Roberts Limbrick Associate Andrew Smith, "and we were looking for a premium quality material with very hardwearing, durable properties that would contrast with the red brickwork and deliver that typical vernacular styling.
"We considered many different options but Shackerley's SureClad® solution provided everything our client was looking for – a fantastic low maintenance façade material, and flexible installation systems to accommodate all requirements. Nothing had to be compromised."
The developer's view
Daniel Pavely, NRC Director at David Wilson Homes commented: "This really is a unique development at Newbury Racecourse, where we're planning to build almost 1500 new homes over a decade. We're not just providing living space, we're offering a whole lifestyle. That's why it was important to us that these three initial apartment blocks, with their prominent location in such a historic setting, not only echoed the landscape and surrounding architecture, but also boasted a premium quality finish. Without doubt, Shackerley's product has helped us to achieve our vision."
The cladding installation
Yorkshire-based specialist façade installer, Speedclad, played a key role in delivering that vision. Tony Blake, Commercial Director explained how the distinctive 'grandstand' aesthetic was achieved: "Cladding the partitions that divide the long tiered balconies was very straightforward," he said. "We used Shackerley's most economic façade panel format, 1200mm x 600mm, in conjunction with a SureClad® Access system, which we've used with great success many times before.
"When it came to cladding the balcony edges, the project team realised that significant time and cost savings could be made if we used prefabricated ceramic granite beam units instead of individual fascia panels. We worked with Shackerley to design a bespoke bracketed unit comprising the fascia, soffit and cill components. Shackerley supplied these to site, fully prefabricated and ready to install as part of a SureClad® Hang On system. This greatly reduced the amount of framing needed, and our overall installation time. All in all, this project has helped to reinforce our view that Shackerley offers a very impressive high quality product and good value for money."
As the apartments at Newbury Racecourse clearly demonstrate, Shackerley's innovative SureClad® system and specialist prefabrication services can make challenging façade designs easier for the architect and contractor to deliver, and can ultimately offer valuable cost savings for the developer.
