Euro Garages’ head office plans secure green light

Ambitious plans to build new head office facilities for private equity-backed forecourt operator Euro Garages in Blackburn have been given the green light.Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Mohammed Khan and chief executive Harry Catherall met with the company’s leadership to confirm that planning consent had been granted for the scheme, which is set to create between 150 and 300 jobs.The proposed new three-storey development, which will occupy a waterfront location close to Fishmoor Reservoir at Haslingden Road, is expected to complete in the summer of 2018. The current EG Group offices on Haslingden Road will then be used as a training and development centre.In addition, management are considering options for two drive-thru restaurants as part of the scheme. Planning permission for this element has also been granted, although the brands and type of restaurant proposed are still to be agreed.The proposed office block will have a gross internal area of 89,717 sq ft and feature private and open-plan offices, meeting and conference facilities, a staff canteen, external terraces and balconies.PWA Planning helped Euro Garages to secure planning permission.Euro Garages was founded in 2001 by brothers, and Insider 42 under 42 alumni, Mohsin and Zuber Issa. The company was established with a single petrol filling station in Bury and now has hundreds of sites across the UK.Euro Garages completed its merger with Dutch group European Forecourt Retail, both of which are owned by private equity firm TDR Capital, in November 2016 to create EG Group.