Ashford Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans by a 10–2 majority vote
Plans for a £100m headquarters and factory for Brompton Bikes on a 100-acre wetlands site near Ashford, Kent, were approved last night by Ashford Borough Council, despite the company recently announcing the project is on hold.
The decision comes after Brompton revealed a significant drop in profits, with pre-tax earnings for the year ending March 2024 falling to just £4,602, down from £10.7m the previous year. The company has cited a faltering global bicycle market and an oversupply of cheaper bikes as reasons for the delay.
The approved plans, designed by Hollaway Studio, feature a circular building raised 2.2m above the floodplain on stilts. The development aims to transform the wetlands into a publicly accessible nature reserve while housing a state-of-the-art factory capable of producing over 200,000 bicycles annually and employing more than 1,500 people.
The design incorporates sustainable transport principles, with no new car parking spaces provided. Staff and visitors will be encouraged to travel by bike or public transport. A wide cycle path will serve as the building’s main artery, allowing cyclists to ride directly into the factory, through its interior, and up to a rooftop museum.
Will Butler-Adams, Brompton’s managing director, has described the project as a “revolutionary and sustainable bicycle factory of the future.” He said: “The factory will merge the public and private domains of industry through permitting the public to view not only how Brompton bikes are manufactured but to reveal and educate how industry works – a rarity in such settings and something that will position it firmly within the community.”
Comparing the vision to a “21st-century Bournville,” Butler-Adams highlighted the project’s ambition to integrate industry, sustainability, and community engagement.
>> Also read: Hollaway Studio designs ‘floating’ bike factory for Brompton
>> Also read: Hollaway Studio’s Brompton Bikes HQ on hold after profits collapse
Butler-Adams told the planning committee that Brompton Bikes aimed to bring “a bit more cycling health and happiness into our cities”.
The proposed development includes spaces for designers, creators, and a manufacturing facility, all linked by an internal street. The building is intended to create a symbiotic relationship between industry and nature, with Hollaway Studio principal partner Guy Hollaway noting that the structure will “appear to float above the wetlands, allowing water levels to rise and fall naturally.” The foundations will also harness geothermal energy to heat the building.
“This ambitious project is truly ground-breaking in its approach and aspires to act as an exemplar to demonstrate how industry can embrace sustainable methods of transport and create an architecture that reflects the ethos of Brompton bicycles,” added Hollaway.
Despite the approval, the development’s future remains uncertain following Brompton’s financial struggles. The company’s current factory in Greenford, west London, is expected to remain operational until at least 2030. Construction on the Ashford site was initially planned for completion by 2027, but no revised timeline has been announced.
Ashford Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans by a 10–2 majority vote, with councillors recognising the project’s potential to enhance local biodiversity and boost the economy, even as concerns were raised over the loss of some wildlife habitat and the limited parking provision.
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