Jaguar Land Rover, currently the UK’s largest car manufacturer, has announced it is beginning construction work on a £200 million redevelopment of its design and engineering centre at Gaydon in Warwickshire.

The expansion represents the first major construction project at one of the company’s non-manufacturing sites in over a decade. The development is expected to become one of the world’s foremost automotive product, engineering and design sites.

“The new space will centralise our design, product engineering and purchasing functions in an original and modern environment, as well as creating additional capacity for the future,” says Chris Elliott, property programmes director for Jaguar Land Rover.

Jaguar Land Rover worked with architectural practice Bennetts Associates to design the scheme and has engaged Laing O’Rourke as its construction partner. The latter will develop the site to create a landscaped campus comprising new offices and Jaguar and Land Rover design centres.

In recent years Jaguar Land Rover has invested heavily in its UK vehicle manufacturing facilities at Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull to support the introduction of all-new vehicles such as the Jaguar XE, XF and F-PACE, Range Rover Evoque Convertible and Land Rover Discovery Sport. It has also made progress in building its international manufacturing presence over the last year, with a new manufacturing facility under construction in Slovakia and the opening of its plant in Brazil.

Over the past five years Jaguar Land Rover has employed more than 20,000 people, taking its workforce to more than 40,000. The company has invested more than £11 billion in new product creation and capital expenditure.

Last year the company achieved its best ever full-year global sales, selling more than one car every minute with retails of 583,313 vehicles, up 20% on the prior year.

Source: Jaguar Land Rover

Tags: Bennetts Associates, car design, Chris Elliott, engineering, Gaydon, Jaguar Land Rover, Laing O’Rourke, manufacturing