Jaguar Land Rover-owner to build UK factory that could create 9,000 jobs
Jaguar Land Rover-owner Tata is set to announce plans to build a flagship electric car battery factory in Somerset which could create 9,000 jobs.
The building of the plant could be the most significant investment in the UK automotive industry since Nissan came to Britain in the 1980s.
The government is providing subsidies worth hundreds of millions of pounds for the build, sources confirmed.
Jaguar’s owner, the Indian conglomerate Tata Group, has been locked in talks about the build for months.
Investment in the area of Bridgwater could create around 9,000 jobs and workers at the plant would aim to produce 40GWh of batteries a year, enough to power hundreds of thousands of electric cars.
It could be located at the Gravity business park, a 616-acre ‘smart campus’ currently under construction near the M5 motorway.
The plant’s expected location in Somerset will be convenient for supplying Jaguar Land Rovers’ factories in the Midlands.
Over the last few years the government has been criticised for a lack of industrial strategy in comparison to the likes of the US and the EU.
There is currently only one other battery plant next to Nissan’s Sunderland factory, and one barely on the drawing board in Northumberland.
A proposed battery manufacturer, in the north east of England, Britishvolt, went into administration earlier this year.
This is in contrast to the EU where 35 plants are open, under construction, or planned.
But it will be seen as a significant step as production changes from petrol and diesel to making electric vehicles.
The deal is expected to include direct grants to support the construction of the factory, as well as investments in the local infrastructure.
Tata posted a job advertisement for a ‘cell developer’ to work for its new battery division last week, a sign it is preparing for the build.
The company did consider a rival site in Spain and its decision to choose the UK is likely to be seen as a success for the government.
The government has yet to comment but outlined a series of net zero goals, including a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
Jonathan Reynolds, shadow business secretary, said: ‘Labour welcomes any investment in British jobs and industry and decisions like these vindicate Labour’s advocacy of an industrial strategy in place of scattergun announcements.
‘In spite of the Government’s cack-handed approach to industry and our economy this shows the strength of the UK automotive industry.
‘Labour has been clear the public and private sector working together is the only way we can transition industry to keep the jobs of the future on our shores for decades to come.’
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