AEDDA’S Farm Distillery
Location
Buckinghamshire
Project Team
Project Manager: DPA – Alexander Moss
Planning Consultant – Edgars
Transport Consultant – Paul Basham Associates
Principal Contractor – Grayswood Construction Ltd
Ecologist – Bernwood Ecology
Designers – Peak Building Consultants
Distillery Consultant – Malvern Spirits
Electrical Contractor – DP Electrical Ltd
Vision and Objectives
Adstockfields Farm, located near Buckingham, is one of Dudley Peverill’s longest-standing clients. Having made a transition towards regenerative farming and renewables, in late 2021, we began working with them to help them realise their aspirations for full circular farming and added value in the form of a distillery, to be supplied by cereals and fruit grown on farm.
Project Updates
Estate Masterplanning
We started off by reviewing the farming estate from a wider perspective, taking into account the clients aspirations, challenges, enterprises, assets, site context, planning, and demographic context to aid their understanding of the opportunities available. In doing so, we scoped appropriate areas for the distillery and orchard, while considering budget, operational and management efficiencies, and optimal project strategies.
Preparation & Briefing
Once a preferred strategy had been agreed upon, we set to work collecting information necessary to inform the project.
This amounted to:
- Surveys and site information
- Outline feasibility studies
- Identification of relevant grant opportunities – The Farming Investment Fund Added Value grant and Rural England Prosperity Fund were identified as appropriate
- The commencement of budgeting, business planning and financial forecasting
- Sourcing an operator or joint venture partner to assist in the running of the distillery and enterprise
Alongside gathering information, we formed a project team to aid in the delivery of the various outcomes in this significantly complex and multifaceted project, utilising expertise from UK craft spirit markets to distillery engineering.
Concept Design
Whilst working with the project team to create conceptual designs, we progressed on the following items:
- Business plans and budgets to inform ongoing feasibility analysis
- Submitted expression of interest for both the Added Value (Farming Investment Fund) and the REPF
- Began working with client side solicitors to structure a Partnership Agreement for the formation of Aedda’s Farm Distillery
- Began the management and assisting in the compilation of planning applications for both the distillery itself (Class B2) and the change of use of an agricultural calf barn to a visitor centre (Class E)
- Early design specifications for the distillery plant and associated equipment
- Assisting the client in acquiring personal and premises licencing
- The compilation of information required to submit for a “licence in principle” for Excise
- Warehousing and Distillers Licence
We also worked with the client to design and cost a 5 hectare (12 acre) orchard, to supply the distillery upon maturation.
Spacial Co-ordination
Business planning and feasibility was looking good and delivered upon the clients objectives. This phase of the project delivered the following outcomes:
- Agreed heads of terms and the signing of the Partnership Agreement
Submission of planning applications - Submission of the full grant applications
- Further detailed designs of both the building and distillery plant
- Creation of tender packs for contractors
- The submission of a “Licence in Principle” application for distilling and excise warehousing
- Further business planning, budgeting and forecasting
- Refinement in sales and marketing strategies, routes to market and production
An exciting period as the orchard was planted over the course of 6 months, suddenly revealing some tangible project progress!
Technical Design
Whilst this phase of the project involved a lot of hard work within the project team to finalise technical designs and budgets, together we realised the following great outcomes:
- Granted planning permission for the distillery
- Granted planning permission for the visitor centre
- Successful discharge of pre-commencement planning conditions
- Successfully offered a grant funding agreement through the Added Value (Farming Investment Fund) worth £160,000 to help fund the purchase of the distillery plant and equipment
- Successfully offered grant funding through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) worth £70,000 to help fund the conversion of the visitor centre
- Sign-off of business plans and budgets enabling the purchase of the distillery equipment
- Issued tenders for both construction projects
Construction & Implementation
The construction stage is currently underway, with the visitor centre having reached practical completion and only the installation of the distillery equipment remaining. During this stage of work we:
- Successfully claimed and received the REPF grant funding for the visitor centre
- Successfully Claimed and received the Added Value grant funding
- Project managed the construction of both the distillery (ongoing) and visitor centre
We are currently working with M&E designers and the distillery supplier to finalise the necessary mechanical and electrical installation and commissioning of the distillery equipment itself.
Whilst Aedda’s Farm Distillery are already producing some great products, they expect to officially launch full production and visitor experiences later this year (2025).
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