Lookers has begun trading from a major new Volkswagen showroom built into a London housing development.

The £10 million showroom for Lookers Volkswagen Battersea, at York Road, forms part of a partnership with Linden Homes’ £100m mixed-use housing and commercial development.

Located beneath the apartments, the 90,000sq ft full internal VW dealership displays 90 used cars and 17 new cars across two storeys, and has a staff of 65, of which 20 were new recruits.

There are 18 customer parking bays on site, and two electric car ports. A dedicated EV area comes complete with iPad tutorials and vehicle examples, as well as an electric charging location map.

Each floor has a children’s play room, and the dealership has a coffee shop with free superfast Wi-Fi, plus office space available for customers to use.

Lookers Volkswagen Battersea’s servicing department has also received a revamp and comprises 14 service and repair bays as well as two dedicated MOT bays.

An official launch event is planned for the dealership from March 7-10, providing hot food and refreshments plus a display of vintage cars.

John Sands, brand manager at Lookers Volkswagen Battersea, said: “We’re thrilled with the new dealership and the increased facilities it has given us. The showroom is an impressive space that is delighting our customers and giving them the space they need to enjoy their experience with us to the fullest. The environment we’ve created is ideal for such a prestigious brand and it’s a pleasure to welcome our customers through its doors.”

Duncan McPhee, Lookers Volkswagen franchise director, said: “Our new dealership in Battersea is a huge step up in terms of the look and feel of the customer experience. Volkswagen is a key brand for Lookers and we are proud to be able to represent it so magnificently at the new site.”

The outlet, which was originally planned to open last August, neighbours Lookers' Jaguar Land Rover Battersea dealership.