THE PROJECT
Commissioned by Dick Lovett, a repeat Client for Beard after successful completion of the BMW MINI Melksham showroom, the official Porsche dealer for South Wales, the new prestigious high-tech facility in Newport will be the company’s flagship Porsche centre and the largest building to date in its portfolio.
The impressive 7000m2 curve-fronted space was designed by Pier Architecture and features a two-storey, glass-clad and porcelain-floored car showroom as well as a comprehensive and state-of-the-art workshop. As part of the work, we constructed a bell-mouth road junction for access to the site.
The new dealership consists of three distinct elements, the showroom, the workshop and the wash facility.
The showroom, which has space for 48 cars, has its primary entrance facing the roundabout providing a focal point to the business park and welcoming visitors to the primary entrance from the customer parking area. The used car showroom site over two stories to the south of the main showroom with a feature car lift adding a highlight to this elevation.
The workshop houses 23 cars with 21 workshop bays including an MOT facility and is connected to the showroom via a drivein canopy, where service customers can arrive to the building and collect courtesy cars in a controlled space, away from the elements.
The wash facility is enclosed within the building and has direct connections with both the showroom and workshop allowing cars to remain in dry, clean spaces following their valet.
Solar panels on the composite roof aid powering the building. EV chargers were fitted – both for customers visiting the workshop and as part of Porsche’s wider EV charging network.
Lighting is an important part of the feel and function of the building. Track lighting and spotlights provide atmosphere and emphasis in the showroom, while the exterior cladding incorporates red strip lighting, which have a striking and unique 'night-time mode'.
Regional Winner of the LABC Best Non-Residential New Build Award 2025
£15.8M
CONTRACT VALUE
57 WEEKS
CONTRACT DURATION
Customer
Dick Lovett (Bristol) Ltd
Architect
Pier Architecture Ltd
Quantity Surveyor
BLB Kilminster Beer Llp
Form of Contract
Traditional
A late "Power On" date resulted into a short commissioning / finishing programme
Beard worked closely with the client and alongside our in house M&E manager to ensure their fit-out programme could progress.
The highest rainfall winter period in Wales on record
Re-sequencing of the programme and the main build (critical path) to leave the externals and complete in the Spring, later on in the programme.
Security during the construction works
The site was in a high crime area with many attempts of breaking in during the first few weeks on site. We managed this by:
- Solid entrance gates were installed and perimeter fencing secured
- Point to point CCTV system installed
- Manned guard over periods away from site, Easter and Christmas
- Fingerprint entry system installed to stop unauthorised people from entering
- Temporary doors and coverings over entrances
