Prodrive chairman, David Richards officially broke the ground for its new 120,000 sq ft facility by the M40 at Banbury.
“It is fascinating to see how construction technology has moved on in recent years and how the latest techniques mean that they can build such a huge facility in just a matter months,” said Richards. “From an empty field to the completion of one of the largest motorsport and advanced technology centres in the country will take just six months.”
Prodrive will begin relocating from its existing home of nearly 30 years on the Wildmere Industrial Estate into the new facility in March 2015. Already part of its current facility has been demolished to make way for the new Banbury Gateway retail park, which is due to open in 2016.
“The new headquarters allows us to put all our motorsport and advanced technology businesses under one roof for the very first time, in a modern, purpose-built facility. Like our existing site, I believe that our new headquarters will once again become a landmark by the M40 and an iconic building Banbury can be proud of,” said Richards.
The Prodrive headquarters is the first to be built on the new Central M40 development which stretches south of Banbury alongside the M40. Central M40 is being developed by Barwood Christian Matthews, Barwood director said: “It is great to have such a high profile business as Prodrive as our first tenants on Central M40. The development has attracted a great deal of interest and it will not be long before it is creating hundreds of new jobs for the town.”
