First look at huge new Volvo Coach & Bus centre in Coventry

A HUGE new Volvo Bus & Coach Sales Centre is to be built in Coventry after planners gave the scheme the green light.

The company submitted plans to completely redevelop its facility at the Middlemarch Business Park in Siskin Parkway which sells a range of both new and used buses and coaches.

Now planning permission has been granted by Coventry City Council’s planning committee for the ambitious £1.3 million scheme.

The project will quadruple the existing office space to more than 700 square metres with the aim of enhancing its customers’ buying and handover experience for both new and used vehicles, together with overall service.

At the same time, the general working environment and facilities will also be improved.

The project, which has been 12 months in the planning, is set to get under way early in 2018.

The company said it is pushing ahead with it as part of a drive to create the best customer facilities and experience possible.

Due for completion during late summer 2018, the plans include an internal showroom, a dedicated customer specification room and improved meeting facilities.

James Hyde, retail sales director for Volvo Bus UK & Ireland, said: “Our existing location in Coventry is widely recognised as being in the ideal place to service our customers, however our business has expanded by more than 100 per cent since 2010 and it is vital we extend our Coventry Sales Centre in line with this growth.

“We are keen to stress that the sales centre will not close down during the redevelopment and that it will be ‘business as usual’ throughout the period.”

Mr Hyde added: “Volvo’s long term presence in the UK has been constant while other manufacturers come and go.

“This investment and redevelopment project highlights our unswerving commitment to the market as we move forward.

“Our customers’ experience is a key driver for us and it is important that we continue to lead the way and offer them the very best, state-of-the-art facilities.

“This truly reflects our core values and will make a real statement of our intent to the retail and used vehicle market.”