Plans to build Britain’s biggest electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Somerset have been announced.
Agratas – Tata Group’s global battery business – have confirmed that the Gravity Smart Campus located near Bridgwater has been chosen as the location of its new UK gigafactory.
This will be the first time Somerset will have been formally confirmed as the location for the UK’s new gigafactory. It represents a £4 billion investment in Somerset, which will directly create 4,000 new jobs and thousands more in the wider supply chain.
And it is hugely significant for the UK as a whole. By the early 2030s it will contribute almost half of the projected battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK automotive sector.
Local people will be kept informed at all stages of the development. People living near the site – previously known as the Royal Ordnance Factory 37 – will soon be receiving an introductory leaflet from Agratas. As owner of 50% of the remaining land holdings, This is Gravity Limited will continue to liaise with local community and stakeholders and collaborate with Agratas.
Martin Bellamy, Chairman and Tom Curtis, Co – Founders of Gravity said: “It’s impossible to overstate how important this is for the UK. It is the catalyst to kick-start the electric vehicle revolution in the UK.
As the biggest battery gigafactory in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe, its transformational impact will be enormous.
We look forward to working closely with Agratas, Somerset Council, Bridgwater & Taunton College and wider stakeholders to deliver this gigafactory as part of the Gravity Smart Campus.”
This development will enable the South West to ‘Take Charge’ and accelerate the UK’s clean and inclusive growth revolution, creating new job and business opportunities in future-facing sectors.
Councillor Bill Revans, Leader of Somerset Council, said: “This is momentous for the county, its economy and for future generations. It’s about seizing an incredible opportunity to be at the heart of the UK’s green energy industry that will create thousands of highly-skilled, well-paid, green jobs.”
Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater and Taunton College, welcomed the news. He said: “I’m delighted by this announcement and what it means for our community and the wider region. We’ve got a great deal of experience in workforce development – big infrastructure projects like Hinkley Point C. We can draw on that experience. We’ve been here and we’ve done this and Agratas can be tremendously confident in our community and in our workforce.”
