Mercedes face flack for £70 million campus extension plans

Mercedes are going ahead with some ambitious plans to expand their Brackley campus but the local people are not too happy about it.

Mercedes face flack for £70 million campus extension plans

The Mercedes Brackley campus (via Mercedes AMG Patronas website)

The Mercedes AMG Patronas F1 Team might not have won a single Grand Prix in the most recent 2023 Formula 1 Championship campaign, but they certainly do not seem to have a dearth of funds or a lack of sponsors pooling in millions for the improvement of the team. The Brackley outfit already has a sprawling campus where they carry out all the important proceedings at their headquarters, but now, Mercedes are going to expand it with a plan that is going to cost them over £70 million (USD 89.2 million).

But the residents and the local businessmen whose shops dot the landscape around Mercedes’ Brackley headquarters are not happy with the plans the team has for expanding their campus. They are concerned because the traffic would increase enormously once Mercedes open their new addition to the already ginormous campus. RacingNews365 reports that Mercedes’ new project will turn their headquarters in Brackley into a Silicon Valley-style campus which will focus on facilities for enhancing team-related marketing activities and will also provide avenues for the leisure of the employees.

But the residents and the local business owners have protested that the traffic will rise exponentially on St James Road, which leads into the Mercedes factory and is used by most employees.

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Everyone is up in arms about the idea of this happening because at the moment we all have fairly unfettered access into this premises which means we have no issues getting staff or commercial vehicles in.
Simon Wheeler, a local businessman spoke, via RacingNews365.

Mercedes sheds responsibility for distress of residents who are against Brackley campus expansion

Mercedes are not agreeing to the protests and the arguments put forward by the local people to prevent them from expanding their Brackley campus. Even though the small business owners have opined on the increased traffic that they will have to put up with as a result of Mercedes’ £70 million worth plans for their headquarters, a spokesperson on behalf of the Silver Arrows released a statement claiming the team has followed all the legalities to proceed with their expansion plans.

The Mercedes headquarters at Brackley, UK (via X)
During the planning application process, we have gone through all appropriate channels including consultation with the Planning Department, which includes a period of public consultation. As a major employer in Brackley, we always endeavour to maintain good relations and dialogue with our stakeholders and to maximise our positive impact in the local area. We will continue to do so as we progress through this process.
Mercedes spokesperson said about the residents’ protests, via RacingNews365.

In other news, Mercedes’ marqueé driver Lewis Hamilton just celebrated his 39th birthday months after the end of the 2023 season. The Briton has already passed the age when most racer retire from Formula 1 but he has not shown any signs of slowing down. The Stevenage native has renewed his contract with the Silver Arrows and will be seen going for his eighth World Championship to break Michael Schumacher’s record in the upcoming 2024 campaign.

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