Wilkes Property Team helps Biggest VW dealership in Europe Spring into Action

Midlands law firm The Wilkes Partnership has advised independent car dealer Johnsons Cars on the construction and opening of its new dealership – including the biggest Volkswagen showroom in Europe.

The dealership, now open on the Stratford Road in Shirley, is part of a £10m expansion for Johnsons Cars that has enabled it to provide higher levels of service, better technology, improved amenities and a greater choice of both new and used vehicles.

Marcus Blick, real estate consultant for the Wilkes Partnership, led the legal team. He comments: “Wilkes has a longstanding relationship with Johnsons Cars, and has seen it grow from a business with just a handful of locations to one with 30 dealerships and an annual turnover of over £200 million.

“We advised the shareholders of Johnsons on the acquisition of its new location at the former Dave & Buster’s site, plus the planning, finance and construction for the new dealership building. The position of the site is an ideal addition for Johnsons, staking its presence in the growing cluster of automotive dealerships on the A34 just outside Shirley.”

The new 4.5 acre location houses dealerships for Mazda, Volvo and Volkswagen and has created 74 jobs.

Mike Berwick, operations director at Johnsons Cars, adds: “Stratford Road is renowned for car dealerships, it’s like a mini motor village. It’s a great location for us, with lots of positives. It’s right by the M42 and Solihull, with Birmingham only a short distance away. With the new site being the size it is, plus our desire to make the building as innovative as possible in terms of the workshop and MOT centre, it was imperative that we did everything we could to get our plans for the building passed. The team at Wilkes was instrumental in this process and made sure everything ran smoothly from acquisition of the site to the grand opening.”

If you need advice on site acquisition, contact the Real Estate Team at the Wilkes Partnership and we can provide reliable legal support.