Motorstore would create 85 jobs for Wednesfield
Car sales group Arnold Clark has announced plans for a major investment in a new motorstore in Wednesfield that will lead to the creation of 85 new jobs.
The scheme would also kickstart the re-development of the Pantheon Park employment site.
Arnold Clark is already an important business in the area with its GTG Training Centre and vehicle rental facility at Bearing Drive currently employing around 50.
A planning application has been lodged jointly with owners Stoford Developments and Bridges Ventures that will see construction of an Arnold Clark Motorstore on four acres of the site fronting Wednesfield Way. Service workshop facilities would be within the nearby training centre building.
Derek Cuthbertson, estates manager for Arnold Clark, said: “The business has had an active requirement for a site capable of accommodating a motorstore for some five years now. This always had to be close to our existing GTG training facility to ensure that we can establish an efficient, sustainable operation. Following an exhaustive site search across the local area, the land at Pantheon Park has emerged as the only one meeting our specific requirements.”
Pantheon Park is an 18-acre site, which is ready for construction to begin following an extensive programme of remediation and demolition. The development is a joint venture between Birmingham-based Stoford Developments and Bridges Ventures, a specialist sustainable and impact investor.
The extensive remediation work has been supported by a loan of more than £2 million by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.
Stoford development manager Angus Huntley said: “Arnold Clark’s proposal to create an exciting new Motorstore at Pantheon Park is great news for the area and marks a major investment in the West Midlands by the company. The site is perfect for their requirements and is oven-ready, having been cleared and remediated.”
Pantheon Park has detailed planning permission for up to 412,000 sq ft of B1, B2 and B8 accommodation with 24/7 operations. Once fully developed the site is expected to create up to 400 jobs. It is close to the M6 Toll, M5, M42 and M54 and is situated in an established location off junction 10 of the M6 via the A454.
Arnold Clark views the development of the Pantheon Park frontage site for its new motorstore as key to the expansion of its business operations in the Wolverhampton area.
Operations across the two sites will enable Arnold Clark to further develop its apprenticeship training schemes, providing practical, on the job experience for recruits.
"The combined proposals represent a multi million pound investment by Arnold Clark. This is a major vote of confidence in the city of Wolverhampton and can only help our partners at Pantheon Park to attract further employment generating businesses to the site," added Mr Cuthbertson.
Arnold Clark Automobiles was established in 1954 and now employs more than 11,000 staff nationwide, with over 200 branches located in Scotland and England. The company has grown to become Europe’s largest independently owned car retailer.
The new job opportunities at the two Arnold Clark sites would involve a variety of roles, including vehicle technicians, vehicle preparation staff, sales, administration and management.
The design of the Motorstore building has an emphasis on visibility and vehicle display with extensive use of glazing.
