1:54 pm, April 3, 2023
A luxury car dealership which specialises in selling vehicles to the rich and famous has applied for planning permission for a state-of-the-art new site in the north of England.
Last year Car Dealer reported that Autolab UK had agreed to buy a prime plot of land on Carl Fogarty Way in Blackburn as part of a multi-million-pound expansion.
The firm, which counts A-listers and Premier League footballers among its regular clients, announced plans to spend a whopping £4m setting up the dealership but at the time, details remained thin on the ground.
Now however, proposals have been put forward to the planning committee at Blackburn with Darwen Council.
Autolab bosses want to build an ultra-modern showroom with space inside for up to 31 vehicles. The plans also make provisions for a reception and sales desk, office space and high quality customer areas.
The firm’s planning application says: ‘The layout and orientation of the building has been influenced by the existing access from Carl Fogarty Way and the requirement for a large vehicle display area.
‘The building has been positioned close to the site boundary with Carl Fogarty Way which sits at a slightly elevated level with the intention to create a focal point when approached from the North-East and M65.
‘The internal layout of the building provides 31 internal vehicle bays, a reception and sales desk at ground floor level. The upper floor provides office space and amenities for customers.
‘The external appearance of the building uses a homogenous palette of high-quality cladding materials and high-spec glazing which reflects the vehicles sold by the business.
‘The corner of the building which faces Carl Fogarty Way to the North East is detailed with full height glazing and framed with a darker colour cladding to create a feature when viewed from the approach from the M65.
‘The office area will benefit from large windows to the front elevation, allowing natural light to permeate the office work space.’
It will join the outfit’s existing premises, which are located less than a mile away from the new site.
The Lancashire Telegraph reports that the expansion will allow the company to grow its workforce, which currently stands at 30 employees.
Among those supporting the scheme is Blackburn with Darwen Council growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood, who described it as ‘magnificent’.
He said: ‘It is fantastic to see the Autolab application come forward. It looks a magnificent building.’
A decision is set to be made at a later date.
