Renowned architects Louis de Soissons – the designers behind Welwyn Garden City – have been given the green light for a ground-breaking £30 million automotive project at Hatfield Business Park.
Working alongside luxury car dealer H.R. Owen – whose portfolio includes the likes of Bugatti, Ferrari and Lamborghini – the architects have secured planning permission for the site which they hope will become "a market leading sales and servicing destination for the region and bring several of the worlds’ most iconic brands together under one roof".
Louis de Soissons director, Mark Wilkinson, said: “We are delighted to be working with H.R. Owen, the UK’s leading luxury automotive retailer group and developer Arlington to create a new destination for their customers.
“Our designs bring together the multiple services that H.R. Owen offer their customers into one complex of buildings that architecturally compliment the context, centred around a clear, strong hierarchy of spaces.”
H.R. Owen CEO Ken Choo added: “In partnership with Louis de Soissons and Arlington, we have created plans for a truly world-class facility, delivering the latest in cutting-edge design and technology for our customers.
“This site will become a real destination for automotive enthusiasts, ideally located and displaying some of the world's most sought-after cars.”
Explaining more about the design concept, Mark continued: “The Louis de Soissons design concept combines a visually stunning work environment with an incredibly effective, efficient, and operationally functional business space.
"Public-facing retail spaces are arranged as close to the highway boundaries of the site as possible with the workshop and servicing areas to inward looking spaces at the rear.
“A landscaped enclosure screens the workshop parking compound from the customer parking areas to ensure a high-quality human scale feel.
“The east complex of buildings will house four car showrooms, two workshops and offices each surrounding a shared mall area.
“The west portion of the site will house a further car showroom for H.R. Owen’s specialist group operation on the ground and first floors. To the rear will be additional workshop spaces and two storeys of internal vehicle storage.”
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