Work is underway on a new £16m Porsche showroom and workshop in South Wales.
Construction firm Beard has broken ground on the facility in Newport, which when complete will be dealer Dick Lovett’s largest building in its portfolio.
The impressive 7,000 m sq space will be able to accommodate almost 50 cars in a glass-clad, two-storey showroom and around 25 vehicles in the garage.
South West firm Beard, which has its headquarters in Swindon plus an office in Bristol, said a lift would be installed to move cars to the first floor of the showroom, while solar panels on the roof will help to power the building.
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The 130-year-old company is currently clearing and levelling the greenfield site on the Celtic Springs business park ready for stone piling and the erection of the building’s steel frame at the end of May.
The project is due to be completed by the end of February 2024. As part of the work, Beard will also construct a bell-mouth road junction for access to the site.
Beard’s Bristol director Matt Cooper said: “Both Beard and Dick Lovett are family-run businesses with a proud history of being part of the communities they serve. Having just completed a BMW dealership for Dick Lovett in Melksham, it’s great to be working with the company again on this impressive new building in Newport.
“Beard’s aim is to build with ambition and this project certainly delivers on that ethos. This will be a flagship facility, a stand-out building offering the latest in showroom and workshop facilities.”
Rebecca Maloney from Dick Lovett said: “We aspire to be the best in the industry and meeting that ambition means combining our passion for cars and motorbikes with a deep understanding of the needs of the modern motorist.
“This latest Porsche dealership demonstrates our continued investment in the provision of the very best when it comes to sales and service technology – a genuine destination facility. We look forward to inviting our customers to experience it.”
It comes after Beard announced it had won a place on three major construction frameworks in the South West, which will see it connected with public sector organisations for the chance to work on the development of education, health, local authority and leisure buildings.
In a recent set of financial results, the company reported turnover had risen above pre-pandemic levels, as it raked in £165m last year when it completed 45 projects.
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