Is Solihull 'Jaguar Land Rover Land'?

Solihull mayor Joe Tildesley said the town had "undoubtedly" benefited from JLR's investment

Swindon is known by some as "Honda Town" and Detroit as "Motor City".

Now, as Jaguar Land Rover announces plans to create an extra 1,700 jobs at its base in Solihull - on top of 800 created in January - is the West Midlands town becoming "Land Rover Land"?

Discovery, Defender, and Freelander models line the leafy cul-de-sacs that surround the plant on the outskirts of the town centre.

Families talk about the difficulty of finding their cars in supermarket car parks because there are now so many of the same cars from the same company.

'Status vehicle'

Even Solihull Council is in on the act, with the mayoral car being - of course - a black 2013 Range Rover Vogue.

"Suddenly they are everywhere, throughout the streets of Solihull," said mayor Joe Tildesley.

"I look out the window and it's the first car I see. It's a status vehicle people aspire to have.

Julie Henn said she instantly regretted leaving her Land Rover behind when she moved to England

"They are here and are - quite properly - endorsed by many people, including the council. I don't see it as a bad thing."

Mother-of-three Julie Henn, lives in Nerstal Drive in Solihull, just a stone's throw away from the Jaguar Land Rover site.

The 55-year-old said she regretted leaving her Land Rover behind so much when she moved to the UK from South Africa about eight years ago that she ended up buying a replacement soon afterwards. Her husband is now hoping to buy a new one as well.

"There was not a day that went by when I did not regret it," she said.

"Now I can't believe how many there are. On Saturday I saw four in a row.

"A Range Rover, two Discoveries and a Freelander - one after the other."

'Confidence booster'

Mrs Henn said she knew people who struggled to find their Land Rovers in supermarket car parks because they were so common.

Mother-of two Joanne Rumney, who lives around the corner in Oakslade Drive, owns a Land Rover Discovery from the 1990s.

"People are proud to have JLR here," said the 38-year-old.

"It has a status that people like. They are good family cars."

Joanne Rumney said the town was proud to have the factory on its doorstep

Jaguar Land Rover, which also has manufacturing bases in Castle Bromwich and Halewood on Merseyside, has said the latest announcement will bring the total number of jobs it has created in the UK over the past three years to almost 11,000.

Mr Tildesley said the firm's investment had "undoubtedly" boosted Solihull with other firms benefiting from knock-on trade.

Rachael Eade, from the Manufacturing Advisory Service, said every job created by vehicle manufacturers leads to two or three in the supply chain.

"It's a huge confidence booster locally and UK-wide," she said.

"It's 1,700 jobs and three times that in the supply chain.

"I think the new technology involved will attract a new, younger market and will make a difference to the supply chain.

"Younger people have more of a desire to be involved in that as they probably view car manufacturing to be a bit dusty, dirty and not for them."

But not everyone is happy.

Some shops said the expansion had brought with it increased parking problems.

Terry Cosma, manager of Solihull Fish Bar in Hob's Moat Road, said: "I have not noticed any change in business. We have always had a steady flow of JLR workers.

The latest announcement will bring the total number of jobs Jaguar Land Rover has created in the UK over the past three years to almost 11,000.

"The big problem is the lack of parking round here. They are along the pavements, the grass verges, sometimes it's difficult to get into the side roads."

Julie Jones, who works at Trev's Hairdressers, also in Hob's Moat Road, said: "The parking is ridiculous - diabolical.

"There is nowhere for us to go because all the Land Rover workers are there."

In 2005, MG Rover based at Longbridge, less than 10 miles from Solihull, went into administration. About 14,000 people employed by the Rover group were based at the site.

But Ms Eade said she did not believe Solihull would suffer a similar fate and collapse if JLR's fortunes changed in the future.

"The automotive industry has learnt lessons from MG Rover," she said.

"They are not as heavily reliant on one customer now and if you are a designer you probably work for JLR, Mini, JCB, Ford.

"I don't think the bubble will burst for the foreseeable future."