The Site

The Site has a unique history, at the start of the 20th century, this site had transitioned from Widdrington Mill into the Daimler Motor Works, a very prestigious motor vehicle producer at the time. However, during the WWII blitz, much of the Site was lost due to heavy bombing, with only the site office and Powerhouse remaining, which are still intact today.

From a planning perspective, as well as being allocated for development in the City Council’s plans, it is in a highly accessible location for new homes given its walking, cycle and public transport links into the City Centre and Train Station.  How the Site connects into key routes, including to the canal, is central to Rainier’s proposals.

Making an efficient and effective use of a brownfield site such as this reduces the need to release greenfield sites for development.

Daimler Powerhouse is to be retained as a key community and cultural hub

Site Location and Context Plan


Constraints Plan


The site is relatively flat, reflecting its industrial use, however its levelling has created level changes between the site boundaries and some adjacent plots. The urban form and siting of the Powerhouse, has also been influenced by the former railway spur, creating challenging geometries to resolve.

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