Jaguar Land Rover to create 70 jobs with new £14m Wolverhampton dealership
Jaguar Land Rover is to open a £14 million flagship showroom and dealership in Wolverhampton creating around 70 new jobs under new plans revealed today.
The motoring giant plans to transform the former Metal Castings site in Penn Road, which has been empty for more than 10 years.
Work could start as early as May with the site opening for business in early 2016.
It is a second major commitment from Jaguar Land Rover to the city after the opening of its £500 million engine factory at the i54 site which will see up to 1,400 jobs created.
The dealership site covers four acres and will include a showroom and a service centre.
Matt Parry from developer Cranford said: "In the context of the huge investment that Jaguar and Land Rover have committed to the City of Wolverhampton, working closely with the local authority, to open the i54 engine plant, a decision was made to seek a partner to develop a flagship retail dealership for the city.
"The dealership will create circa 70 new jobs for Wolverhampton.
"The operator of the dealerships is yet to be finalised but it is widely expected to be a local group with extensive experience of the Jaguar Land Rover brands."
The dealership is described as being located in one of Jaguar Land Rover's 'key locations'.
The site was previously earmarked for a major unnamed national retailer as part of a £13 million shopping development.
Prior to that there was also plans for a 120-bedroom hotel complex.
Metal Castings had made car and washing machine parts for more than a century but it closed in 2004 with the loss of 40 jobs.
The proposals for the dealership have been submitted to Wolverhampton City Council planners.
The plans state: "As part of the continued drive to improve the quality of services offered to customers the client is wanting to proceed with this development to provide modern premises suited to the needs of customers and businesses.
"Following the current success of the Jaguar Land Rover brand a new global corporate identity has been developed. A key element of the new identity is the distinct nature
of the façade and generally improving the quality of services offered to its customers.
"Jaguar Land Rover had identified key locations throughout the UK to provide customers with modern premises which are better suited to the needs of its customers. The proposed new facility off Penn Road will be one of the first dealerships to be constructed which incorporates
the new corporate identity."
The main customer entrance for the building will be facing Penn Road and is located centrally between a selection of the latest Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.
