Dealer in plans to expand Corio site

By John Van Klaveren
WINTER and Taylor plans a massive expansion of Bunnings’ existing site on Corio’s School Rd, the dealership has confirmed.
Managing director James Morphy said Winter and Taylor’s truck sales and service divisions and a second panel shop would relocate to the site.
Mr Morphy said the expansion would mean the dealership more than doubled in size.
“It will be absolutely sensational,” he said.
“We’ll have 60 to 70 staff out there. We’ll have a panel shop there as well as the panel shop in town.
“Seventy per cent of our truck sales and service customer base is in the north of Geelong, so this is an ideal location for us.”
Mr Morphy said the dealership had plans to “further develop” the site with retail opportunities, including a coffee shop.
The move would also enable Winter and Taylor to redevelop its existing Mercer St site into a “state-of-the-art” dealership.
“We’ve been looking for something since the government compulsorily acquired the Isuzu site on the other side of Mercer St,” Mr Morphy said.
“We’re on five different sites and this gives us the opportunity to amalgamate on two purpose-built sites.
“It will help us make much better use of the land we have got. Our current service department site will be included in the rear of the car showroom, for instance.
Mr Morphy said the expansion represented a strong vote of confidence in the automotive sector.
“The truck sales and service section is a great part of our business, plus School Rd is a fantastic retail site.”
Mr Morphy said existing site tenant Bunnings had requested a lease extension.
“They said it would take six months to construct (Bunnings’) new site in Norlane and they’ll give us six months notice.
“The timing all depends on when the Norlane warehouse is completed.”