Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Go-ahead given for Millbrook extension

Planning consent has been given by Bedfordfordshire Council for nearly 25,000 square metres of offices, and research and development space at the Millbrook Proving Ground at Lidlington, Bedforshire.

This is in addition to consent for three new building offering 6,000 square metres of space as the business seeks to establish a technology park on the site.

The development will enable more companies to be located at the site, creating a significant number of highly skilled jobs within the automotive engineering and technology sectors. The aim is to enhance the future of engineering at the site which has a high speed test track among its facilities.

Millbrook is sited within the Oxford-Cambridge arc and in recent years the the area has become a magnet for high-tech industry closely associated with the automotive industry.

Earlier this month, the newly independent company, once part of General Motors research and engineering grouping, announced the appointment of a chief commercial officer. Part of his role will be to garner new business for the enterprise.

Jonathan Eaton joins Millbrook from Horiba Automotive where he was automotive segment managing director. Horiba’s equipment is highly visible in many of the research and development areas within Millbrook. Horiba’s equipment is also used by various automotive businesses in the UK, prominent among them being JaguarLandRover where Horiba equipment has played an important part in the development of the Ingenium range of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.

Eaton is the latest of a number of other recent recruits to the team at Millbrook, ownership of which was transferred in December 2013 from GM to Rutland Partners. They include: Dylan Llewellyn, head of sales – special projects; Luke Galliana, head of sales – events and tracks; and Sal Ahmed, customer services manager.

Alex Burn is chief executive officer of Millbrook which is moving to re-brand itself following the separation from GM. The aim is to establish independence and impartiality at important elements of its new pedigree.

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