The Lexus and Toyota marquees at Snows Motor Group’s Hedge End site are to be replaced with a state-of-the-art centre by the end of the year.

Construction began in March at the 3.5-acre site just off the M27 and is scheduled to finish by the end of the year. Three showrooms will house eight new Lexus cars, including some on a unique mezzanine level, nine new Toyotas and 71 used models in total.

Initially there will also be a workshop area comprising seven service bays in addition to an MoT area, but there will be space to increase this to 12 bays in the future.

Phil Maddison from Snows Motor Group says: “Plans for the new Toyota and Lexus centre have been on the drawing board for some time, but with building work now well underway and temporary showrooms on the site, everything is really taking shape.”

Blundell Thompson Hargreaves of Longfield, Kent worked as architects on the £8m project, which is overseen by project managers Gentle Associates of Botley, Hampshire.

Snows Motor Group will recruit new staff for the site, which will employ around 46 people in total.