Our proposals
Thank you for visiting our Dick Lovett Junction 16 consultation website. Our public consultation ended on Thursday 14th November 2024. Our planning application (planning reference: PL/2025/0700) has now been submitted to Wiltshire Council and is available to view here. We encourage residents to have their say on the planning portal.
A venue fit for purpose
Dick Lovett has a long and proud history of operating in and around Swindon, which continues to be Group Headquarters. As Dick Lovett has grown and what we need from our showrooms has evolved, we have outgrown the old ‘Legacy’ properties in Swindon Town Centre. Our MINI showroom, BMW showroom, and Bodyshop are spread throughout the town which is inconvenient for our customers, adds to traffic movements in the town, and our buildings no longer fit either our Manufacturers or our business needs.
With this in mind we are excited to announce our move to a new location designed specifically to meet the needs of our valued customers and continue our journey as a family company with links to Swindon and the surrounding area.
The site is located in a strategic location away from residential areas just off the M4 at J16. It is on land off Swindon Road (A3102) and lies across the road from the entrance to North Wiltshire Crematorium. The proposed project covers approximately 6 acres of developed area with approximately 4 acres of green space. Given the relatively small scale proposed for the site, it is unlikely that our plans will have a significant adverse effect on local services. Indeed, the provision of new showrooms will contribute positively to the economy and services in the area.
The site will be firmly separated from Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon by acres of farmland. The site is almost wholly contained by roads, including the M4 motorway, and has residential and industrial development to the north and is also in close proximity to a number of solar farms. There is also a significant green buffer between the proposed Dick Lovett site and Royal Wootton Bassett.
We have commissioned a full suite of reports and surveys to fully inform the design of the proposals, including on such matters as drainage, highways, ecology, landscape, and heritage. The final reports will be published alongside our application once it is submitted. In the meantime, our initial research can be found on this website.
As part of our plans, we are proposing:
Purpose-built showrooms to integrate a modern car dealership and separate cutting-edge Bodyshop, ensuring a superior experience for every visitor.
£30m of further investment in the local area and our long-term commitment to the area.
State-of-the-art facilities designed with both our customers and staff in mind, offering an environment that prioritises comfort, convenience, and efficiency.
Sustainability at the core of our new development, reflecting our commitment to a greener future.
New traffic light controlled junction to access the site.
Preservation of all jobs in our Swindon branches, continuing to employ over 950 people across our dealerships in the South West, ensuring continuity and stability in the area.
Active engagement with local organisations, communities, and initiatives to ensure our move benefits everyone in the area.
New businesses to occupy our former homes in Swindon, creating more jobs and contributing to the local economy.
Continuity and Stability
We are implementing comprehensive plans to ensure minimal disruption and maintain the same level of excellent service throughout the transition period. This move ensures that we maintain the high standards and familiar faces that our customers trust. Our showrooms and Bodyshop in Swindon will remain open until the new purpose-built location is ready for operation. This will ensure our staff remain employed throughout the construction and customers can continue to visit our business. All staff will move across to the new site and no jobs will be lost.
We hope that during this time we will be able to identify new businesses which may want to take up space in the existing sites in Swindon. These buildings have been integral to our journey, and we are keen to see them continue to thrive. We are optimistic that the spaces we are leaving behind will soon be occupied by new businesses, continuing to contribute to the local economy. Our hope is that these new ventures will not only preserve but enhance the vibrancy of the area, ensuring that the local community continues to benefit from the economic activity and employment opportunities these sites provide.
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the core of our new development, reflecting our commitment to a greener future. The new site will combine our BMW showroom, MINI showroom, and Bodyshop in one site. This means customers won’t need to drive around multiple sites in Swindon and can instead shop for a range of models in one location that is also nearby to our Ferrari and Porsche showroom on the other side of J16.
We also recognise the rural nature of the area surrounding the proposed site, and will ensure that this is reflected in the design of our plans. As well as extensive planting of trees and hedgerows, the new buildings will also be designed with green roofs, ensuring that they blend in sympathetically with the landscape around the site, as well as supporting biodiversity to thrive across the site.
Highways, Access & Car Parking
Highways
This site was selected for its strategic location adjacent to junction 16 on the M4 providing convenient access to the motorway network. The adjacent bus stops ensures excellent public transport links for customers and staff, making commuting easier.
As part of the application a Transport Assessment will be completed. This assessment will identify any necessary local highway improvements to help ensure the development does not unduly impact the wider road network and determine initiatives to help minimise single occupancy vehicle trips by employees.
Access
Access to the site will be via Swindon Road (A3102) with a traffic light controlled junction. This will provide safe access to the site.
The existing footpath through the site will be diverted and retained. Notably, our development site is situated in an area where sustainable travel options are readily available, such as existing pedestrian, cycle, and public transport infrastructure in proximity to the site. This not only promotes environmentally friendly modes of transportation but also contributes to reducing overall traffic impact.
Car Parking
Customers will have access to free car parking with our site holding 154 car parking spaces for staff and customers, including eight accessible bays, and 18 EV spaces.
Design & Landscaping
The development has been conceived to result in minor landscape and visual impacts. Buildings will be set back from the road and screened by trees and greenery. Our proposals will seek to minimise the visual impact as much as possible through the design process, which will utilise green roofs across the site to sympathetically blend the new buildings into the broader landscape.
As part of our planning application we have prepared a comprehensive Design & Access Statement and Landscape Plan which sets out our approach to design as well as the variety of measures, including screening and significant levels of new planting, which will be included in our plans in order to minimise the visual impact to residents in the immediate area and passing motorists.
Flood Risk
There is no increased risk of flooding as a result of the proposals. Where permanent hard surfacing is required, extensive assessment will be undertaken, with mitigation provided to ensure that there is no net increase in flood risk. Watercourses and other features across the site won’t be altered.
Our application will include a comprehensive flood risk assessment and drainage proposals, which will be reviewed by Wiltshire Council and Thames Water once our plans are submitted, who will then make comments as to whether our plans can acceptably deal with surface and foul water discharge from the site.
Get in touch
We’re keen to hear your views on our initial proposals. Once you have reviewed the information on this website you can provide feedback, request additional information or ask any questions you might have using any of the methods below:
Visit our drop in event on Tuesday 5th November 2024, at Hook Village Hall, Hook, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, SN4 8EA, between 3pm and 7pm to find out more, ask questions, and provide your views.
Fill in our online feedback form here.
Email [email protected]
Write to us at FREEPOST TC CONSULTATION (no further address or stamp required)
Call our freephone information line on 0800 699 0081 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)
