Architectural consultancy HPW Partnership is on site, working with contractors to oversee construction of the first phase of a £3.5m garden centre near Coventry.

The Southampton company, has designed a master plan for redevelopment of a 54 acre site at Atherstone for Dobbies Garden World. It acquired the former Cross Lanes Farm garden centre which includes one of the world's largest maze, a country park with lakes, a purpose-built visitor centre and the National Garden Museum last year.

Gary Wilburn, HPW Partnership's creative director, said that the new centre will be similar in customer flow and layout to Dobbies' latest £5m Garden World to open near Preston.

"This proven master plan for large sites acquired by the Scottish group will be developed to accommodate the additional visitor attractions on the land.''

Work has also finished on a new £2m garden centre for Dobbies in Perth.

"The modern design is a blueprint for a site of five to seven acres and next generation Dobbies' garden centres,'' said Mr Wilburn.

"The architects are actively helping with the search for potential new sites for redevelopment across the UK for the acquisitive group. The major investment by what is now the second largest garden centre group in the country, is working.

"The environments created by the new designs permit the centres to carry over 40,000 product lines. The re-developments are boosting a footfall and sales for the group that is going from strength to strength.''

The Southampton consultancy which employs 30 staff and ranks within the top 20 UK leisure design organisations, has over ten years played a key role in a transition of the retail and leisure industry.

Project contracts exceeded £40m in the UK last year. It included the graphic design of leaflets, point of sale literature, signage and even product packaging.