The Gordon Murray Groups's new global headquarters in Surrey has been granted planning approval and will begin construction later this year. The sprawling 54-acre site located near Windlesham will house state-of-the-art design and engineering facilities, as well as a new production line. The fledgling manufacturer expects the £50m campus to create 100 highly-skilled jobs.
"We are delighted to have been granted planning permission for our new headquarters. This facility has been in the design and planning phase for over three years, with many obstacles to overcome, so it's extremely exciting that we have now been given the green light to begin construction," said Professor Murray, Chairman of GMG.
The campus will be named Highams Park in recognition of its connection to Highams Hall, the private residence of the Leschalles family. The first phase of what is expected to be a three-year construction project will begin in June. The initial building will house the firm's dedicated manufacturing facility, a customer sales suite, servicing and heritage vehicle display. A test track will also be created to check each car that emerge from the new production line.
The precise nature of those cars is still unknown. Highams Park is obviously more about GMG's future than its present; the T.50 and track-only T.50S will be built at Dunsfold Park, a facility that the firm expects to retain for some time. The new site will produce its second model, which is likely someway off given the proposed completion date of December 2022 for the first phase. Building phases two and three will take another two years.
Following a successful round of consultation with local residents, GMG's planning application is said to have received unanimous approval from Surrey Heath Borough Council and enjoys the full support of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Professor Murray has long stated his affinity with the local area having lived and worked in Surrey for over 50 years.
"This significant investment marks a new chapter for our business. This will be a world-class facility, attracting world-class talent and we intend it to be something that the British automotive industry can be proud of as we gather momentum for even greater success," he added.
1 / 4
