Work progressing at Wolverhampton's new multi-million pound Jaguar Land Rover showroom
Builders are preparing to launch into the next phase of work to bring a multi-million pound development to the city.
Former industrial land near Wolverhampton's city centre is being transformed into a Jaguar Land Rover showroom.
The steel framework for the £14 million plans on Penn Road - near to Ring Road St Marks - is set to rise up at the four-acre plot in January.
Councillor John Reynolds, Wolverhampton council's cabinet member for city economy, said: "It is great news for the city centre to see this development project moving forward.
"This is a major development in this area – regenerating a redundant site which lies in a prominent position on one of our gateways to the city centre.
"Attracting this type of development shows what an aspirational city we are.
"Jaguar Land Rover is a global leader who chose to build a major production base on the i54 site we developed in collaboration with South Staffordshire Council and Staffordshire County Council.
"Cars that have been part-produced in the city could be sold from the Penn Road site in the future.”
The land at the site, next to the Waitrose supermarket off Penn Road, stood derelict for more than a decade before work to revamp the site began.
It was home to Metal Castings, which crafted car and washing machine parts for more than a century before closing in 2004.
A large internal showroom with space for 18 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will be created, along with a workshop, service area and reception.
Contractor Speller Metcalfe is carrying out the work on behalf of Jardine Motor Group - which operates more than 70 franchises, including Wolverhampton Audi's showroom off Ring Road St Georges.
Jardine Motors Group construction manager Nick Morgan said: "The development is moving ahead at great speed now.
"The teams at SRA Architects, Speller Metcalfe and Wolverhampton council have worked hard to ensure the success of the project and to enable Jardine Motors Group to deliver the best customer experience possible."
The dealership, which is expected to create about 70 jobs, is planned to open in Autumn 2018.
