West Country welcomes new Gigafactory investment and jobs boost
The Metro Mayor, Dan Norris, has hailed it a 'victory' for the region
Last updated 28th Feb 2024
Councils and local leaders have been hailing the news of a multi-billion-pound investment by Tata into Somerset's new gigafactory as a 'victory' for the whole region.
It has been confirmed today that the huge new site will bring up to 4,000 new jobs to the region, with the news coming months after ministers hinted the parent company of Jaguar Land Rover would be setting up a new electric vehicle battery factory at the Gravity site just off the M5 in Bridgwater.
The news from Agratas, part of Tata, will make the West region one of the top places in the UK for making batteries for electric vehicles - with the new site expected to be up and running by the second half of this decade.
The Bridgewater site had been previously linked with Tesla and Rivian.
The plant will eventually produce 40 gigawatt hours of batteries per year - enough to supply around 500,000 vehicles - making it Britain’s largest gigafactory and one of the biggest in Europe. There is also thought to be space for expansion in future.
In a letter to Mayor Dan Norris, Agratas CEO, Tom Flack, said: "As a new partner in the region, we expect Agratas to bring significant social, economic and employment benefits, and we look forward to working with local communities and partners."
Responding to the news, West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who had face-to-face meetings with Jaguar Land Rover, and has offered to assist with workforce training through his West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, said:
“After so many false starts, this is fantastic news for the West of England. It’s undoubtedly a success for our campaigning, and influencing, to get this over the line.
“Local workers are delighted to see 4,000 new green jobs – and thousands more in supply chains - wrapped up in a Union Flag. Brunel himself would have been proud at these high-quality engineering and manufacturing roles for local people.
“Throughout the instability in Westminster, over the last three years as Mayor I have been in touch with all three Prime Ministers about sealing the deal. I’m delighted we’ve now got this over the line.
“It just goes to show what I’ve always said - the West of England, and the UK, can and is leading the way as the best place to invest in net zero, and shape the green revolution.”
Mr Norris pledged 23,000 new green jobs in his manifesto.
North Somerset Council have also welcomed today's announcement, with the local authority hailing this development as presenting 'significant opportunities' for North Somerset’s businesses and residents and supports the council's inward investment goals.
Many of the 4,000 additional jobs, and many more anticipated in the supply chain, are within a sustainable commutable distance for local residents, with North Somerset Council saying this new investment will also provide the potential for the council to accelerate green inward investment into the region, through building a supply chain cluster linked to electric vehicle battery innovation and manufacturing.
Cllr Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council's executive member for spatial planning, placemaking and economy, said: "This is great news for our economy and the people and businesses of North Somerset. We've been working on ways to ensure we benefit from this investment for a while.
"We’re in close contact with Somerset Council to explore opportunities for joint working and are working to support local firms in accessing the supply chain and helping remove barriers. We’re also considering ways to attract new business into North Somerset to capitalise on the investment.
"Work with Weston College will help us understand future skills needs so that the right training can be available for local people and a partnership with colleagues at Gravity will enable us to market Weston Enterprise Area as an ideal location for complementary supply chain businesses. Our new local plan will also provide the commercial floor space needed to realise the maximum economic benefits.
"There is the potential of 882,000 sq ft of commercial floor space in Weston Enterprise Area and we will work closely with partners to bring together this opportunity to ensure North Somerset’s economy is resilient, thriving and delivers for our residents."
Read more: Somerset celebrates 'momentous day' as Gigafactory plans are confirmed