An incubation workshop is available to rent from Sylva Foundation by a business connected with designing or making with wood. Tenants at the Sylva Wood Centre are part of a vibrant community of woodworkers, enjoying excellent specialist facilities, and benefit from the high profile of the charity.
Incubation Workshops are designed to help young or growing businesses become established and to thrive. The workshop is offered on a three-year commercial lease. Sylva Foundation support businesses in incubation workshops by providing reduced rent – rent is reduced by 50% in the first year, by 25% in the second year, and is charged at a full rate for the final year of the lease. The three-year lease is not extendable (i.e. at the end of the lease the unit will be made available to a new user).
- Available from 1st September 2025.
- Size of unit: 296 sq.ft/ 27.5 sq.m
- Access to well-equipped Machinery Workshop, including panel saw, planer, thicknesser and band saw, subject to additional charge.
- Access to community kitchen, toilets and shower.
- No tools/machinery/equipment/furniture is provided in the workshop.
- Three year commercial lease
- Price: Year One £1,500, Year Two £2,250, Year Three £3,000 (including VAT)
- Electricity – charged at cost
- Business rates – tenant is liable for business rates. This unit is currently eligible for 100% Business Rate relief.
How to Apply
Complete the online application. This is designed to help shortlist eligible candidates. If we believe you are a suitable candidate we will arrange to meet with you face-to-face to talk about your needs and understand more about your business plans. You will not be asked to submit a detailed written business plan, but we will want to see that you have clear plans to develop and build your business during a three-year period.
To help you prepare your application a list of the questions on the form is available here: Wood Centre Member Application Form questions.pdf
Closing date for applications: 27th June 2025
If you have any problems using the form please get in touch by email at wood@sylva.org.uk or phone 01865 408018 and ask for Phil.
Further Information
Incubation Workshop details: DOWNLOAD
About the Sylva Wood Centre: https://sylva.org.uk/woodcentre
To discuss details: Phil Gullam: 01865 408018 or phil@sylva.org.uk
Shared machinery workshop
