PLANS for a new 4x4 vehicle showroom in Chester have been given the go-ahead.
Cheshire West and Chester Council has approved the plans for a new showroom by Halliwell Jones BMW, which has an existing dealership in Sealand Road and a site off Knutsford Way for servicing and maintaining vehicles.
The new showroom will be located nearby the latter, off Chelford Close and will be one of the few UK showrooms to retail the Ineos Grenadier 4x4.
HJ BMW, through Halliwell Jones Deva Limited, is the appointed retailer for North West of England and North Wales regions, and will generate about 300 new vehicles sales plus per annum and similar used car numbers.
The Ineos Grenadier.
It is expected and planned that, whilst some sales related transactions will proceed in a traditional way, ie, through a customer visiting the site and ordering a vehicle through a session with saleperson, such is the nature of the vehicle and its reputation, a high proportion of sales will proceed digitally, ie, customers placing an order online.
As such, they will only visit the site to pick up the vehicle once delivered, with the developers saying that as such, the showroom does not need to be large at 350 square metres and single-storey, and is very small in comparison to the normal retail motor dealerships operated by HJ BMW.
Servicing and parts-related operations will be run through the current existing HJ BMW service centre providing synergy with current operations.
It is expected that the showroom will be staffed by a maximum of four staff at any one time, while offering nine customer car parking spaces including a dedicated disabled car park space adjacent to the showroom entrance.
Gary Pearson, Head of UK and MENA for INEOS Automotive, said: “We have worked tirelessly for over a year to find retail partners in the UK that share our enthusiasm and excitement for the Grenadier.
"They understand 4X4 users and their requirements, and have a proven track record for exceptional customer service. Together with these partners, we look forward to providing Grenadier customers with the advice, guidance and support they need.”
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