Barretts Motor Group has unveiled plans for a £9 million Jaguar Land Rover facility in Ashford, near Canterbury.

Group manging director Paul Barrett announced that the business, which represents Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, MINI, Citroen, DS Automobiles and Honda at sites in Ashford and Canterbury, plans to develop a five-acre site at Waterbrook Park, Ashford

The new centre will replace Barretts’ existing Orbital Park dealership and will include a new car sales and service centre stretching across 3,600sq-m.

The dealership could open by the end of 2018, with a further 20 new jobs possibly being created by the move.

Barrett said: “We have seen a significant rise in sales of both Jaguar and Land Rover as new and exciting models have come to the market, most recently the Jaguar F-Pace, and the all new Land Rover Discovery and the forthcoming all-electric I-Pace.

“From under this one new roof in Ashford we will be able to showcase the full range of Jaguar Land Rover vehicles, and also have the latest high-spec servicing facilities.

“We have outgrown our current local dealership, but still wanted easy access to the M20 and rest of Ashford."

Barrett purchased the plot for its new site from GSE Group which is currently overseeing the development of the Waterbrook Park site.

Darrell Healey, managing director of GSE Group, said: “Jaguar Land Rover is synonymous with quality, design and British engineering. We’re delighted that Waterbrook Park will soon play its part in supporting the ongoing success of the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer.”