Metro Mayor calls for 'swift action to seal the deal' for Somerset gigafactory
It's thought JLR plan to either choose Somerset or a location in Spain to build batteries for electric cars
Last updated 19th May 2023
The West of England Metro Mayor, Dan Norris, is calling for "swift action to seal the deal" over a gigafactory which could produce electric car batteries in Somerset.
It follows media reports that the Government is considering £500 million worth of incentives to car maker Jaguar Land Rover to build it here in the county - instead of Spain, where previous reports suggested JLR has also been considering thinking about creating one.
The cash would be to improve transport links to and from Somerset’s 616-acre Gravity smart campus off junction 23 of the M5.
The Metro Mayor who has been in touch with all three of the Prime Ministers over the last two years about securing a giga factory in Somerset, urged the Government to “put the failures of Britishvolt behind them” and “land these British green jobs”.
Norris has also offered to help with workforce training through his West of England Mayoral Combined Authority which is the regional body responsible for skills, and has told JLR bosses that the Gravity site is "super convenient, with Bristol Port on the doorstep."
There are fears the UK could fall behind in the global race to build gigafactories, with the influential Environmental Audit Committee warning back in 2021 that they need more government support.
Previous suggestions that Tesla and Rivian wanted to choose the Gravity site failed to come to fruition.
Mr Norris continued: “We need an effective UK industrial strategy to ensure we benefit from the huge opportunities of net zero. We have a site that’s shovel ready so let’s now seal that deal.”
Read more: Could £500 million be needed to bring gigafactory to Somerset instead of Spain?