Lloyd Motor Group is planning to create a Kia and Volvo multi-brand car dealership on the outskirts of Kendal to unite two franchise points added through acquisitions in 2022.

A planning application submitted to South Lakeland District Council shows that the Carlisle-based car retailer plans to move the Morcambe Kia franchise acquired from Rayrigg Motors in January into its former PV Dobson Volvo, Dacia, Mazda and Renault dealership located at Bridge End Garage, Levens.

Lloyd, which achieved a turnover of £645.7 million to move up to 26th in the AM100 2022, did not take on PV Dobson’s Dacia, Mazda and Renault and also closed Rayrigg’s Windermere Kia franchise after expanding through this year’s acquisitions.

Detailing plans for its new Kia and Volvo site at Bridge End Garage, to create a showroom some 513 square metres larger than the exitising building, at 2,701 square metres, its planning application said: "The proposed development comprises of the internal alterations to accommodate a Kia showroom in accordance with the Kia corporate identity.

"This includes new internal finishes as well as new external signage and colour to the high-level building fascia.

"The main customer entrance for the building will remain on the south elevation and will be shared between both Volvo and Kia brands.

"There will be a separate handover bay created to serve the Kia showroom, located in the north east corner of the building."

Under Lloyd’s plans, a detached house on the site will be demolished to make way for additional display space for used Volvo vehicles.

An extension on the north side of the building, meanwhile, will provide four vehicle work bays and a new MOT testing facility.

According to Lloyd’s application, 10 extra jobs would be created by the creation of the new dealership facility, meaning it would employ a total of 35 people.

A spokesperson for Lloyd told AM that it wants to create a business that is sympathetic to the South Lakes area which it serves.

He said: “Our BMW and Mini dealerships nearby look unlike anything you might see elsewhere in the network of those brands and we know how important it is to create a facility that benefits the community area and is sympathetic to the local area.”