Construction has begun on major vehicle auction facility

Construction company Harris CM is building an interactive vehicle marketplace on Thunderhead Ridge in Castleford, for Yorkshire-based independent car auction giant, G3 Vehicle Auctions.

The £4.6m contract, located just off junction 32 of the M62 close to Xscape Yorkshire, involves the construction of an auction hall and office facility with a vast vehicle storage forecourt, alongside an adjacent de-fleet and refurbishment centre.

A further structure to house a preparation and inspection area completes the new 14-acre development.

In total, G3 Remarketing is investing £12m in the site, creating 30 new jobs in the community. Once it is fully operational, the facility will enable the company to re-market more than 50,000 vehicles a year.

State of the art technology being incorporated into the development includes an AI ‘drive-through’ vehicle inspection system which uses more than 20 cameras to inspect up to 85 vehicles every hour.

There will also be a multi-turntable imaging studio and specialist LUX lighting in the under cover viewing hall to showcase vehicles to potential buyers.

In addition, green initiatives include scalable facilities for up to 250 electric vehicle fast-charge points to support future demand for electric and hybrid vehicle re-marketing, as well as solar power and water recycling systems.

Harris CM started work on the project earlier this year and despite the disruption caused by Covid-19, is on track to finish before the end of the year, ready for the site to open in January 2021.

The scheme has been designed by HTC Architects and Dudleys Structural and Civil Engineering Consultants is providing engineering services. Fulkers Bailey Russell is providing employer’s agent and contract administration services.

Jason Adlam, CEO at Harris CM, said: “This is a fantastic project for us to work on, that is close to our South Elmsall HQ and it comes on the back of a great 2020 for us, even after the challenges posed by Covid-19.

“Once complete, there’s no doubt this development will add to the impressive portfolio of innovative and high quality commercial facilities that we have delivered for leading companies across all industries in recent years.”

Matt Dale, joint director of G3 Vehicle Auctions, said: “Seeing work progressing on this pioneering new development is hugely exciting for G3 and will help to cement our position at the forefront of the fast-moving motor industry, by creating a vast, purpose built and customer focused facility.

“Whilst there has been a seismic shift to online-only auctions in reaction to the events of this year, we truly believe a mix of digital and physical solutions is essential to support the automotive trade long into the future and that’s exactly why we’re investing heavily to create a true omni-channel experience to seamlessly merge both in our ever-changing industry.

“The centre will be packed with technology that has genuine purpose to help us open the best re-marketing, refurbishment and asset management experience anywhere in the UK.”