Designs for three new interconnected buildings in Bicester which will serve as the UK headquarters of a manufacturing company have been approved by Cherwell District Council.
The buildings at Bicester Motion, a 444-acre estate, will be the new headquarters of YASA.
YASA is an entirely Mercedes-Benz Group-owned spin-off of the University of Oxford and is pioneering new electric drive technology.
The company has taken on a 15-year lease for the new building, which will provide 88,000 square feet of office space.
It employs more than 400 people across several sites in Oxfordshire and includes teams in innovation, engineering, prototyping, operations, and business support functions.
An application with designs, layout and landscaping to enable YASA to continue its research and development and growth strategy was submitted to Cherwell District Council, the planning authority, and Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority.
Set to be the first phase of Bicester Motion’s Innovation Quarter, a £60 million investment targeted at championing future mobility discovery, the headquarters will eventually be accompanied by six other buildings.
Paul Fitzpatrick, head of marketing and communications at YASA, said: "We are delighted that our new UK headquarters has the official green light.
"This is significant news for our staff, customers and wider supply chain.
"We have worked closely with the Bicester Motion team to ensure that our new facility matches our ambitions as part of Mercedes-Benz, right here in Oxfordshire, the heartland of automotive technology."
Construction is due to start on-site in July 2024, with spring 2025 being the planned completion date.
The site will focus on carbon efficiency, targeting BREEAM Excellent certification and an EPC A rating.
It will also be ready for solar photovoltaic technology and comprise dedicated ecology and biodiversity areas, spaces designed for employee health and wellbeing, and bicycle parking facilities.
Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive of Bicester Motion, added: "We welcome this news and I thank our team which has worked tirelessly and efficiently to deliver YASA’s detailed designs for their new landmark headquarters.
"YASA has impressive plans to continue accelerating its business in Oxfordshire, the unrivalled home of world-leading automotive technology and mobility brands.
"We look forward to progressing with construction to deliver for YASA."
He added: "We continue positive discussions with a range of future mobility and advanced technology companies for our remaining new buildings.”
Bicester Motion has also committed to infrastructure improvements including cycle and connectivity to Bicester North station and the surrounding area.
It is anticipated that more than 500 construction jobs will be created as result of the Innovation Quarter.
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