Major car sales brand with 190 UK locations is re-opening dealership with ‘ambitious upgrade’
A MAJOR car sales brand with 190 locations around the UK is planning an ambitious dealership upgrade.
Vertu Motors is hoping to undertake a major redevelopment of its adjacent BMW and Mini sites in Sunderland.
It also wants to represent Ducati bikes in the north east of England.
According to submitted plans, bosses at the dealership want to move Mini under the same roof as BMW and then build two extensions on the vacant showroom.
The upgrade, if permitted, would house a “motorbike workshop and extra parts storage” and allow Vertu to add an “exciting motorcycle brand to the dealership, according to the Sunderland Echo.
Ducati is in line to fill the space, according to the application made to South Tyneside Council’s planning committee.
Under the plans, an existing motorbike workshop currently at the site will be moved to a “prominent central location within the building”.
That would create space for a new purpose-built service reception which would be also “linked to the new bike workshop”.
The design and access statement says: “The extension is proposed as a response to the recently launched new BMW Corporate Identity Standards, which has created the opportunity to relocate the existing Mini brand (building 2) within the BMW building 1, welcoming an additional exciting motorcycle brand to the dealership (into building 2).
“The increasing demand for motorbike servicing has also influenced the decision to expand the business.
“The project will comprise of two small-area single-storey extensions to facilitate this”.
The company says that once the work is complete it would allow the dealership to employ nine new full-time members of staff.
The project would also see the number of customer motorcycle parking spaces increased from five to 19.
The design and access statement adds: “The site has been long established as a car and motorcycle dealership within the Boldon Business Park.
“The development proposal reflects the thriving nature of the business and responds positively to the growing demands of customers.
“The proposed unimposing extensions that are situated mostly under the existing structure are to seamlessly blend into the existing fabric of the building providing an improved customer experience at the premises.
“The proposed finishes including the new access door and site bollards will all match the existing providing an unchanged overall view of the building”.
A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.
Elsewhere, a car dealership in the UK with 20 sites hit by millions in losses and pauses new store openings.
A major dealership closed down after 30 years of business – blaming a popular car brand’s failures.
Autovogue, based at Stableford in Staffordshire, said it spent £198,000 repairing Jaguar Land Rover motors last year.
The used-car dealer slammed JLR’s “poor manufacture” and “failing” cars in a statement on its website.
Meanwhile, two companies are set to close down imminently as bosses cite a “changing marketplace” as a key factor.
The move came after the showroom’s franchise owners cut ties with a big-name manufacturer.
And, many second hand electric car forecourts are worried they will meet the same end soon.