The Complete Solution: More Than Just Decking or Cladding

MILLBOARD ENHANCED GRAIN DECKING AT YORKSHIRE’S AWARD-WINNING NATURAL POOL

Nestled within the grounds of Yorkshire Spa Retreat, one of the UK’s first commercial spa natural pools offers guests something genuinely rare: the chance to swim in biologically filtered, chemical-free water, entirely immersed in nature. It is a bold concept, and one that demanded equally considered design choices at every turn, including the decking that surrounds it.

The project has since been recognised at the highest level of the industry, with Ellicar, specialists in natural pools and ecological landscapes, winning Gold in the Commercial Garden category at the APL (Association of Professional Landscapers) Awards 2026, with judges noting the exceptional standard of landscape contracting on display.

Enhanced Grain Decking

Golden Oak

A PROJECT WITH PURPOSE

Designed and built by Ellicar, the Natural Pool was designed specifically for commercial use, accommodating up to 40 guests per day, every day of the year. With a footprint of nearly 400m², it serves as the focal point of the spa garden, encircled by sensory, pollinator-friendly planting and relaxation spaces where guests unwind between treatments, watching swallows dip and dragonflies skim across the water’s surface.

Thoughtful engineering sits quietly beneath the scenes. Mineral and biological filters are positioned under the sun decks themselves, optimising the usable space while drawing guests close to the water’s edge. The swim zone measures 13 metres by 4.5 metres, with a generous curving regeneration zone where aquatic plants carry out hydro-botanical filtration. Within six months of opening, the pool had already attracted amphibians, newts, bats and a wealth of pond life, becoming a genuine haven for both people and wildlife.

For a project so deeply rooted in the natural world, the surrounding decking needed to work hard while remaining visually sympathetic to everything around it.

Enhanced Grain Decking

Golden Oak

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