Levin's Williams Motors building torn down

Craig Tansley from Craig Tansley Civil Ltd had the job of tearing down the old Williams Motors building in Levin last week.

A new car dealership showroom and workshop will be built on a site where an old service workshop was torn down last week.

Kia Motors will occupy the Exeter Street site where Williams Motors once stood, with plans to include a new showroom and workshop. No sooner had the old building site been cleared, work began on the new premises.

Daniel and Kelly Gordon are Kia dealers for the territory and have an existing showroom and workshop in Paraparaumu. They see the new venture as a chance to service existing Kia customers in Horowhenua.

"We know the growth that Levin is experiencing and we already have customers in the area," she said.

"It's exciting."

Kelly and Daniel Gordon.

Williams Motors was a family business that had been running for 50 years, originally starting by husband and wife John and Norah Williams in Oxford Street, before moving to the Exeter Street site in 1972 after purchasing the land and buildings from Noel Pritchard.

Once they were old enough, the Williams children Alan and Carol were also employed by the company until its sale late last year. The site was purchased by Profectus Ltd, who would lease the building to Kia once work was completed.

Profectus managing director Steve Kerr said he believed Levin was destined for a boost and had recently purchased other buildings, too, and was looking at further developments.

Kerr said he preferred to build new rather than fix up old existing buildings and believed it would add value to the town. He expected the new Kia building to be completed by May next year.

"It'll be quite flash," he said.