Lind Automotive Group is to invest £8m in a flagship BMW and Mini dealership premises on the outskirts of Norwich, into which it will move its existing operation from Ber Street next summer.

The result will be a facility “equal to any other” in the group, according to Graham Dacre, chief executive of Lind, which is ranked 27th in the AM100. Spanning a 4.5-acre site, the dealership will include a BMW showroom with space for 15 cars, a separate Mini showroom with four cars on display, plus an extensive forecourt area for used vehicles.

The company, which operates 22 dealerships and has an annual turnover of £350m, is considering re-franchising the Ber Street site, or selling it for redevelopment.

Dacre says: “Due to EC regulation changes increasing customer expectation, and manufacturers who continue to apply higher minimum standards, we are building a facility equal to any we are building elsewhere in the country.”

Lind is also building new BMW sites in Chelmsford and Ipswich. “We’ve enjoyed a good relationship with BMW over the years,” says Dacre. The site has 22 service bays shared between BMW and Mini. The existing Ber Street outlet is roughly half the size of the planned replacement, with interior showroom space for just six to nine cars.

“An £8m investment in BMW and Mini facilities surely says something about the Norfolk economy,” Dacre adds. “In my book it indicates its substance is indeed greater than its perception.”