In the summer of 2023, ACD Projects were invited to tender for consultancy services by the Royal Veterinary College as art of their plans to enhance their veterinary education facilities in advance of forthcoming accreditation reviews and evolving teaching needs. The University sought to develop a new large animal handling unit at their Bolton’s Park Farm site that would strength their teaching environment and provide improved practical training opportunities fo students.
After appointment, our team worked closely with the farm’s management team and wider university stakeholders to understand operational requirements and aspirations for the site. A series of collaborative meetings allowed ACD to capture the “wish list” of users across the university, which informed the development of an initial feasibility layout for the proposed site.
The design evolved through the early stages of the project as requirements were refined, and the scheme progressed towards submission for planning approval. Located within the Green Belt, the site presented additional planning considerations, requiring careful coordination with the local authority. ACD, together with the wider project team, worked closely with the case officer to ensure a collaborative approach, with particular attention given to how the building would sit within the landscape and be appropriately screened.
Construction within a live farm environment introduced practical challenges, including coordinating works around existing operations, ensuring minimal disturbance to the animals on site and ongoing research projects, and managing the clearance of buildings. The project also experienced some procurement delay linked to wider supply chain pressures. However, through open communication and regular on-site meetings, these issues were successfully managed as the project progressed.
The completed facility now provides the Royal Veterinary College with a purpose-built large animal handling unit designed to support modern veterinary teaching. The building includes a laboratory, a large classroom and ancillary spaces supporting farm-based teaching and practical activity, alongside an open barn environment that enables adaptable, observation-based teaching across multiple species.