Agricultural machinery dealer RW Crawfords, based in South Woodham Ferrers in Essex, has invested £3m in a new parts and workshop store on land it owns opposite Writtle University College in Chelmsford.

The move is due to take place in the coming months and will see full operations relocated to the new site after 38 years in south Essex, with building works on track for an open date in June 2018.

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A 22,000sq ft steel-framed building is already up and will house offices, showrooms and workshops, with more than £5m worth of Agco machinery along with Isuzu pickup trucks on show.

There will also be a dedicated student training room, which will allow Writtle students on both college- and university-level agricultural courses access to the latest machinery and an insight into a large-scale dealership.