Ayr-based Mercedes-Benz dealer Caledonian Truck and Van has won planning permission to double the size of its workshop.

South Ayrshire Council’s approval rounds off a memorable nine months for the dealership, which changed hands last October.

Since it was acquired by independently-owned vehicle rental provider T.O.M. vehicle sales have surged and demand for its aftersales services has also shot up.

The company has responded by embarking on a major recruitment drive, investing in 22 new members of staff to work alongside the 30 employed by the previous franchisee.

Work on extending the existing six-bay workshop on Heathfield Road is scheduled to begin shortly and the new-look facility, which will be able to service up to 12 vehicles at the same time, should be up and running by the end of November.

The project is expected to cost around £220,000, on top of the £140,000 which Caledonian Truck and Van has already invested this year in specialist truck hoists, diagnostic equipment and paint mixing systems.

Within the past six months it has also achieved the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 environmental standards.

In the period January-July 2012 sales manager John Johnston and his colleagues sold a record 260 new panel vans, chassis cabs and Traveliner minibuses – already more than 300% up on the total for last year.

Meanwhile, they have also found new owners this year for 59 pre-owned vans, most of which wear three-pointed stars and were sold through the manufacturer’s Used1 programme – this is already 60%more than the dealership’s total used vehicle sales tally in 2011.

Business levels are also running well ahead of previous years for the company’s aftersales teams.

As well as offering vehicle repair, maintenance and parts services, Caledonian Truck and Van undertakes MoT testing of cars and light commercial vehicles, including minibuses and camper vans, and operates its own accident repair centre which caters for all makes of vehicle.