Construction has started on a new car dealership on an iconic site bringing jobs and investment into Newcastle’s West end.

The McCarroll’s Group is building a new dealership in Dangar Street, off Hannell St in Wickham, just near the Stewart Avenue railway gates.

Local company Williams River Steel is engaged to complete the concept, design and construction, with work is expected to be complete by the end of March.

McCarroll’s Newcastle general manager Mario Tomlin said the 1,988 square metre dealership will allow customers to view eight of the world’s leading automotive brands under the one roof.

“The development is part of a multi-million investment by the family-owned McCarroll’s Group in Newcastle,” Mario said.

“Last year we built a new 1,881 square metre, 16 hoist, service centre in Denney Street Broadmeadow, one of the largest of its kind in the Hunter.”

“McCarroll’s is no stranger to Newcastle and the Hunter, it has operated the well-known luxury car dealership Lexus of Newcastle for 14 years.”

The automotive brands at the new dealership will be: Chrysler; Jeep; Dodge; Alfa Romeo; Fiat; Fiat Professionals Volvo and Renault. McCarroll’s bought the site in 2012 and has been operating a smaller dealership in an existing building on the site since April 2013.

A total of 12 staff will work at the new dealership, taking the number of people McCarroll’s employs locally to almost 50.

“We are investing in Newcastle and the Hunter because we see a great future for this region,” Mario continued.

The new facility will allow McCarroll’s to relocate its Renault and Volvo dealerships from Broadmeadow. McCarroll’s Lexus of Newcastle showroom will remain at its Broadmeadow site next to McDonalds.

McCarroll’s has been in operation since 1978 when Phil McCarroll opened his first dealership in Cooma. His son Simon is now principal dealer. The group also has seven dealerships in Sydney.

Image | Artists impression of the new facility