FURIOUS locals are revving up for a battle with F1 motor racing team Williams over plans to expand its UK headquarters.
Residents living close to the motor sport company’s site in Grove, Wiltshire, say they are already being driven round the bend by noise and traffic.
Jon RowleyThe Williams site in Wiltshire has already been driving locals round the bend[/caption]
Jon RowleyNearby residents claim noise levels from the base are comparable to a ‘tornado’[/caption]
Jon RowleyThe company have reportedly bought farmland they wish to expand on[/caption]
They argue the biggest culprit is a giant wind tunnel used by engineers to test the aerodynamics of the super-fast Williams team’s cars.
One local told The Sun: “When the wind tunnel is at full throttle you can hear it sucking in the air. It’s like a tornado.”
We pretty much need a motorway here to deal with all the traffic this site generates
Disgruntled resident
Now nearby homeowners fear their lives are going to be made even more of a misery.
It comes after Williams submitted a planning enquiry to the local authority about expanding its already-massive base.
Controversial plans include a helipad and car park for 800 vehicles.
It is believed the company has already snapped up farmland next to its existing site with hopes to build on it, locals claimed.
One resident, an IT director who lives just 50 metres from the Williams perimeter fence, said: “I’ve been following the Williams plans and it looks like this is the first step towards near-enough doubling the size of this site.
“They’ve been clever because it’s just a scoping exercise at present to test the water and see what the planners think of their plans in principle.
“Doing it this way saves Williams a fortune because they don’t have to spend money on environmental impact reports.
“If the council turn them down, it will have cost them almost nothing.
“If the council says they might agree, subject to a detailed planning submission, at that point it will start to get expensive for them because they’ll need all sorts of environmental surveys done and they don’t come cheap.
“It’d open countryside so there’ll be all sorts of flora and fauna to consider, as well as a brook.
“Apparently they’ve bought a lot of land off a local farmer and are already starting to fence it off. I’d be pretty sure that’s where they’re looking to expand the site.
“If they get the green light to expand, life for us locals will be a nightmare. It’s a beautiful part of the world – we’ve got so much nature on our doorstep and it will be ruined if Williams are given permission to cover everything in even more concrete.
“The construction alone will take a couple of years and it will generate more noise and traffic chaos than I dare imagine.”
Another resident, who asked not to be named, added: “If they get planning permission to expand this site, I’m going to sell up and move.
“It’s already horrendous living here because of the constant flow of traffic in and out of the site .
“The roads around here are already under incredible pressure because of the Williams traffic and every journey I take nowadays seems to take longer and longer.
“We pretty much need a motorway here to deal with all the traffic this site generates.
“It is noisy and dusty and a bigger site means more noise, dust and traffic. I don’t want to look out of my window onto an 800-vehicle car park and I certainly don’t want to hear helicopters clattering in and out 24/7.
“I’m also worried about the environmental impact expanding the site will cause.”
But others in the area welcome the potential expansion.
One said: “This area needs jobs and we should be celebrating an employer who has the courage to grow their business.
“There’ll be hundreds of construction jobs for starters and a bigger site means more jobs later down the line. Well done Williams.”
Someone else continued: “I have nothing but respect for any company wishing to expand in this economic climate. People need to stop being nimbies and embrace the opportunities Williams give this town.”
Williams was contacted for comment.
F1 tycoon Ron Dennis starts work on £30m mansion with secret tunnel to River Thames, huge garage, & underground baths
By Amelia Stout
F1 TYCOON Ron Dennis has started work on a £30 million mansion – complete with a secret tunnel to the River Thames, a huge garage and underground baths.
Diggers were spotted at the 175-acre plot of premium Berkshire parkland – which Ron bought after selling his McLaren shares for a whopping £275 million in 2017.
The F1 legend, and former mentor to Lewis Hamilton, initially submitted plans for the mammoth project in 2018, but work never started.
Updated documents were resubmitted to the planning authority in 2021 and approved in 2023.
On the basement level, the 77-year-old plans to build a games room, wine cellar, cinema, gym, underground swimming pool – akin to Roman-style baths – and spa.
A spiral staircase will lead up to the basement mezzanine level, which will come complete with its own water feature, as well as a car park and car wash.
The ground floor will be home to a library and housekeeper’s office – with a guest wing and gallery on the first floor, and master bedroom and outdoor garden on the second floor.
The structure will also be accompanied by a host of outbuildings – including stables and a boathouse.
Plus, a tunnel will provide boat access down to the River Thames.
In aerial shots obtained by the Mail, diggers could be seen beginning their excavation of the site.
Markings could also be seen on the ground, plotting out the various sections of the development.
Many cars and vans appeared to be parked at the temporary construction site.
Residents have compared the sound of the cars to a tornadoAlamy Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
