A public exhibition showing plans to relocate Baron’s BMW dealership in Hindhead to The Spaniard Inn site on the A3 attracted many residents as well as some parish and town councillors from the surrounding areas.

Baron’s head of business, Peter Wakefield, told The Herald: “The consultation was well-attended and nobody registered a disapproving view of the proposed project.

“In fact the overall consensus was strongly supportive.

“People living close to our current site stated a strong desire for the plans to be approved and people living close to the Spaniard Inn site were equally supportive of the development.

“For us it was a useful exercise that produced some good suggestions around local road signage.

“We are planning to submit the application to East Hampshire District Council at the end of the month.”

Baron’s are planning to relocate their BMW and Mini showrooms, the service centre and parts department from Hindhead, where they have been based for 30 years, to the new site, which has access from the A3 via an existing road junction.

Mr Wakefield confirmed the move would free up the current site for residential use which he claimed was “more in keeping” with the area and to the “benefit of nearby residents”.

The new site would provide for a “sympathetically designed” building on the edge of Hindhead which would meet all modern standards and allow Baron’s business to grow as well as invest in the local area through additional job creation, he said