DVSA Wrexham – Vehicle Inspection Building
A failed planning history and a client brief that needed rethinking from the ground up
Visual Overview
Project Overview
Client & Sector:
Client:
DVSA / Mitie
Sector:
Government / Transport
Project Tags:
Feasibility
Infrastructure
New Build
The Challenge
The Brief and The Reality
A previous planning application for the site had already failed – rejected for boundary overreach and insufficient regard for the green belt. The existing vehicle inspection building was outdated and no longer fit for purpose. The client needed a viable path forward but had no confidence in the site’s constraints or their options.
The Outcome
How 360DS Approached It Differently
360 DS undertook a detailed feasibility covering both reuse and new-build options. Through stakeholder engagement, we established what the site genuinely needed: a modern, expandable structure that improved staff productivity and met all DVSA operational requirements – including LGV testing, motorcycle manoeuvring, improved parking, and EV charge points. Two compliant design options were presented that increased capacity, improved circulation, and worked within the green belt constraints that had previously caused failure.
Client Outcomes
What Changed For Them
Planning-compliant from day one.
Both options designed within green belt constraints - directly addressing the reason the previous application failed.
Full DVSA operational requirements met.
LGV and motorcycle testing, improved exam manoeuvring areas, and EV charge points all incorporated within the site footprint.
Staff productivity improved.
Modern workplace layout designed around actual operational workflows - not just building standards.
Scalable design.
The flexible, expandable structure is designed to serve as a model for similar DVSA sites across the country.