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APRIL 7, 2025

Locals object to Williams' factory expansion plans

Williams' moves to pull itself back to winning form in Formula 1 are meeting local opposition.

Carlos Sainz, Japanese GP 2025
© Williams

According to the Sun newspaper, the Grove based team has bought up farmland around its factory and has big expansion plans.

However, Williams is already not popular with residents of Grove, a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, due to ever-increasing traffic and what one resident called the tornado-like sound of the wind tunnel.

But the latest complaints come after the team reportedly submitted plans to expand the F1 factory.

I've been following the Williams plans and it looks like this is the first step towards near-enough doubling the size of this site, another resident revealed.

"Apparently they've bought a lot of land off a local farmer and are already starting to fence it off. I'd be pretty sure that's where they're looking to expand the site.

If they get the green light to expand, life for us locals will be a nightmare. It's a beautiful part of the world - we've got so much nature on our doorstep and it will be ruined if Williams are given permission to cover everything in even more concrete.

Another resident revealed: If they get planning permission to expand this site, I'm going to sell up and move. It's already horrendous living here because of the constant flow of traffic in and out of the site.

(GMM)