Falkland Cricket Club, Newbury

Value: £1,600,000

Status: Complete

Duration: 33 months

Completion: July 2023

Client: Falkland Cricket Club Limited

Architect: The Blush Consultancy

Structural Engineer: Stuart Michael Associates

The project features a two-storey building with a pitched roof, concrete block exterior, and steel-supported floors. It includes ground-floor facilities for equipment storage, cricket changing rooms, and the Bowler’s Arms pub, with a large function room and offices for Falkland Cricket Club and Berkshire Cricket Foundation on the first floor. Funded by charitable donations, grants, and match funding, the project was self-managed by an experienced director to maintain quality within budget. Cook Brown Building Control provided essential expertise, contributing to the project’s successful completion.

Energy-efficient features include Air Source Heat Pumps, underfloor heating, and high insulation. Solar panels on the South-West roof supply a significant portion of the building’s electricity.

It was vital that the project did not disrupt the daily operation of Falkland Cricket Club. This was achieved by detailed planning and phasing. COVID pandemic restrictions caused delays to a large part of the building programme and provided an additional challenge in complying with current regulations and safeguarding the public and the workforce.