A MAJOR car dealership in Cambridge that’s stood since 1938 is to be bulldozed with a new state-of-the-art ‘super-site’ set to replace it.
Marshall Motor Group has been based at its current Cambridge Airport location for 86 years, but has been sold off to make way for a 1,300-home development.
The new Marshall car dealership will be moved to Cambridge’s Newmarket Road[/caption]
The replacement site will be located on Newmarket Road – a short distance away from the current base – with the application for the build recently approved by Cambridgeshire County Council.
Marshalls, which is now part of Constellation Automotive Group Ltd, which owns BCA, Cinch and We Buy Any Car, was founded in Cambridge in 1909.
It has occupied its current location since before the Second World War, but with the local airport being sold off to make way for the city’s new 1,300-home Marleigh residential development, plans for their new ‘super site’ soon gained traction.
The proposal will see four main buildings built, including a sales area and showroom, a valet centre, an MOT and servicing workshop, and a four-level car park.
Other services on site will include smart repair and electric vehicle charging.
According to the proposal, the site and building layout will be ‘optimised for the customer experience’ and has ‘been subject to rigorous discussion throughout the design development.’
This comes just days after another major car and motorbike dealership group entered administration, with a reported 165 jobs at risk.
Completely Motoring, which specialises in new and used vehicles, currently holds 14 showrooms at 11 locations spanning Wales and the South West of England.
The firm reportedly encountered financial difficulties after a poor summer sales period, and has now made an urgent call for a buyer to save them.
Mystery also surrounds the sudden closure of a major Ford dealership as no one knows why it’s been shut down.
The Evans Halshaw branch in Northwich, situated on Chester Way, Cheshire, confirmed the shutters had come down on the site for the last time via its Facebook page.
The closure also appears on the dealership’s business details on Google.
Elsewhere, a classic motor believed to be Britain’s rarest car is up for sale.
A long-forgotten Japanese saloon that was meant to rival the Ford Cortina in the 1970s is now seldom seen – with just two left on UK roads.
The example, which is available via Humbert & Ellis Auctioneers, is MOT exempt due to its age, has been serviced, is in good working condition, and is expected to sell for £1,000s.
