Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has marked a major milestone in its £300m expansion at Goodwood, as chief executive Chris Brownridge personally signed the first steel column on the site – signalling the start of above-ground construction for the 40,000 square metre extension.
The signed column was the first of 437 that will form the internal framework of the new building, which will become a cornerstone of the luxury carmaker’s future manufacturing capabilities.
Once complete, the facility will support Rolls-Royce’s rapidly expanding Bespoke operations, complex Coachbuild commissions, and the production of its next generation of battery-electric vehicles.
Brownridge said: “This is an important symbolic moment for this landmark project.
“We wanted to formally mark the start of construction on the main building, which is so central to our future, and to the enormous economic contribution Rolls-Royce Motor Cars makes to the local, regional and national economies.”
The £300m investment is the company’s largest single outlay at its Goodwood base since it opened in 2003 and is expected to safeguard thousands of jobs, with Rolls-Royce currently contributing more than £500m annually to the UK economy.
The newly installed steel columns, typically 12 to 13 metres tall, are being craned into place and secured to pre-cast foundation pads.
The build process begins on the site’s northern elevation and will progress southwards over the coming months.
The structure is due for completion within nine months and will be clad in sustainable materials chosen for their durability, low environmental impact, and ability to blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.
Like the current facility, the extension will feature a living roof to support local biodiversity, and will incorporate renewable energy sources, including air-source heat pumps and a bio-solar roof system.
The tradition of signing off major milestones with a personal touch harks back to Rolls-Royce’s historic assembly line practices, where supervisors – including Sir Henry Royce himself – would inspect and sign off individual components before they advanced to the next stage of production.
Alongside the steel framework, a temporary Construction Hub has already been established on site to coordinate the work, housing the marque’s Site Strategy team and independent contractors.
Once operational, the extension will include a new Exterior Surface Finish Centre, state-of-the-art equipment, and specialised areas to support bespoke vehicle creation and Coachbuild projects.
