The proposals

The proposed extension of the existing site would enable the creation of a new fully-enclosed recycling facility and workshop building that would effectively operate as a ‘reverse production line’ to dismantle end-of-life vehicles in an efficient and sustainable process that would maximise both the number of parts recovered for re-use and the volume of other materials suitable for onward recycling.

The development would also improve consumer choice, support continued investment in electric vehicle management, and link all of Silverlake’s operations together for the benefit of customers, staff, and the educational institutions and other organisations that Silverlake works with and supports.

Illustrative sketch of the proposals

The CGI video below provides a 360-degree view of how the proposals could look

To help achieve this, the scheme will take inspiration from other successful facilities such as the GPA Automotive Recycler in France.

Images of the GPA Automotive Recycler Facility, which has influenced the Silverlake proposals

Masterplan

It is proposed that each element of the business can be separated into front of house (FOH) and back of house (BOH) operations. The car storage racks, main building and offices and U Pick it yard will all remain in their existing location where they are currently successfully operating.

To improve operational efficiency, shorten travel distances between processes and shorten overall production line times, each area will be increased in size and grouped together.

Established front of house and back of house zones will improve pedestrian movement around the site by restricting customers to certain areas.

Existing workshop structures will be demolished and replaced with a single workshop facility with two dismantling lines, thereby increasing productivity and accommodating the growing market for EVs and battery recycling. Some of the nosier operations which already take place on site would be internalised and moved further away from the site’s nearest residents. This will enable growth whilst reducing any perceived impact on the surrounding community.

The proposed layout has been informed by the existing topography of the site and the proposed dismantling facility, which will be 16 meters in height, has been positioned to reduce the visual intrusion on the surrounding context.

Existing and proposed operations

Landscape & Ecology

The landscaping plan has been created to make sure that the scheme blends in with the surroundings, provides new ecologically rich habitats, and enhances the connections between existing habitats on and surrounding the site.

To preserve privacy and prevent overlooking, the site extension boundary will be set back from neighbouring properties. Existing dense woodland along the north western boundary creates a visual and acoustic buffer and screening from the Silverlake site. New woodland planting along the north eastern and southern boundaries will also improve the visual and acoustic buffer.

The following viewpoints highlight proposed landscape views from various points in the vicinity of the site and illustrate how the proposals could look within a 10-year period.

Please click on the headers below to find out further information

  • The existing access configuration is overcomplicated and convoluted. Vehicular routes in and around the site are shared by front of house and back of house operations which reduces efficiency.

    Two primary vehicular accesses are proposed from Botley Road, one for back of house operations and one for front of house to provide access for customer and staff parking.

  • The proposals include a total of 300 car parking spaces including 100 customer parking spaces and 200 staff spaces.

    A Transport Assessment is being undertaken, which will consider the existing and likely future use of the local highway network.

  • The scheme proposes to introduce PV solar panels across various locations on the site to create clean, green energy that can be used to power the needs of the site or contribute to the local energy requirements.

    PV panels could be introduced in the form of canopy structures that will shelter the car racking storage areas and solar panels on the roof of the new disassembly workshop building.