Race against time for gigafactory in Coventry

PLANS for a huge gigafactory in Coventry face a race against time it has been claimed, with calls made for the Government to commit cash as a matter of urgency to the ambitious project.

Coventry was recently put forward for the location of a huge gigafactory to make batteries for electric cars, with Coventry Airport identified as a suitable site.

The project, which would create around 4,000 jobs in the factory alone and thousands more in the supply chain, is being driven by a joint venture partnership between Coventry City Council and The Rigby Group, which owns Coventry Airport.

The search for an investor is already underway and an outline planning application for the giant production plant is to be submitted this year.

It is also hoped the public-private project will attract a large slice of government funding to see it come to fruition.

If it does it is hoped a gigafactory could be up and running by 2025.

However the Government has come in for criticism for not making a commitment to the project in the Budget. Although many measures to help kick-start the UK economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic were revealed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the Coventry gigafactory was not one of them.

That has been criticised by Frances O’grady, the head of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Labour West Midlands mayoral candidate Liam Byrne.

In the wake of the Budget they have warned that unless the UK pushes ahead with gigafactory plans right now the UK car industry could be decimated.

Mr Byrne says new export rules coming into effect would see electric vehicles made in the UK slapped with hefty tariffs if batteries have to be imported.

Speaking about the Budget and the absence of any announcement on support for the Coventry gigafactory, which has cross-party support and has been a key focus of the current West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, Mr Byrne said: “Sixteen gigafactories are up and running, or being built, in Europe.

“We needed something to compete with that in the West Midlands and this week we didn’t get it.

“Coventry City Council has moved heaven and earth to find the money to push this site through for planning permission, together with the local enterprise partnership (LEP) and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

“We were fully expecting to get the green light to start putting shovels in the ground.”

Mr Byrne said that new rules of origin restrictions on exports, which are set to come into effect, mean that UK car makers will need to source Uk-made batteries in order to avoid hefty export tariffs on vehicles.

He added that with the battery in an electric car being worth around 40 per cent of the vehicle’s value this was a fundamental part to the success of electric vehicle making in the UK.

“These factories take five to build - the window is now closing,” he said.

“Unless we move quickly we are imperilling tens of thousands of jobs.

“If we are having to import batteries there will be tariffs worth around 10 per cent.

“Many big automotive manufacturers will up sticks and move to Europe.”

Ms O’grady, the general secretary of the TUC, said: “Ministers have to take a lead here.

“A lot of automotive firms are taking decisions on investment that will happen in five years time. “The Government needs to give those firms that have plants around the country confidence that the infrastructure and support will be there and there for the long term.” Although any UK gigafactory will require huge investment from a private sector investor, government support and funding is also a vital part of the process. The Government has said it will make cash available to support the automotive industry’s transition from internal combustion engines to electric power.

The Government needs to give those firms that have plants around the country confidence... Frances O’grady

A DRIVER who pushed his car past speeds of 100mph on the A46 has been banned from driving - for 28 days.

Intim Petre was behind the wheel of his Audi A4 when he was seen tailgating and crossing over solid white lines on the busy bypass near Kenilworth, while pushing the car to speeds faster than 100mph. The 47-year-old was charged with driving without due care and attention, as well as speeding, and he admitted both offences - committed on August 4, 2020 - when he appeared at Coventry Magistrates’ Court.

Petre, of Priorsfield Road South, Radford, was fined £135 and ordered to pay £125 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge. He was also banned from driving for 28 days.

Other cases heard at Coventry Magistrates’ Court between February 12 and 22 included:j acob Porter, 29, of Queens Road, Atherstone, admitted five counts of stealing clothing or alcohol worth at total of at least £868 from The Original factory shop, stealing alcohol and cosmetics worth £97 from Asda in Nuneaton, stealing chocolate worth £100 from Lidl, two counts of stealing alcohol worth a total £127 from Co-op and two cases of failing to answer bail.

He was handed a 16-week prison sentence suspended for a year due to “persistent nature of offending” and ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

Daniel Lenton, 33, of Caldecote Road, Radford, was found guilty of sending a threatening text message and found guilty in his absence of damaging a car, driving while disqualified, driving without due care and attention, failing to stop at the scene of a collision and driving without insurance.

He was handed a sixmonth prison sentence suspended for a year and banned from driving for six months.

Kelly Evans, 30, of Main Street, Glooston, Leicestershire, was found guilty of assaulting a police officer in Rugby, possession of an offensive weapon (kubaton) in a public place in Nuneaton, being drunk and disorderly, and admitted damaging a taxi, resisting a police officer in the execution of their duty and three counts of failing to answer bail.

She was sent to prison for 10 weeks and ordered to pay a total of £350 compensation.

Andrzej Nawrocki, 56, of no fixed address, admitted assaulting a police officer. He was sent to prison for six weeks as “offence committed while on bail” and ordered to pay £150 compensation and £185 court costs.

Gemma Tyler, 34, of Upper Holly Walk, Leamington, admitted stealing cosmetics worth £50 from Boots, failing to attend a drugs assessment, stealing paintbrushes and other household items worth £50 from Wilko, stealing clothing worth £118 from Marks & Spencer, stealing skincare products worth £226 from Boots the Chemist, three counts of handling stolen goods (bank cards) and committing an offence while subject to a suspended sentence (theft).

She was sent to prison for 12 weeks due to “record of previous offending” and ordered to pay £100 court costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

Aston Jones-oakley, 26, of Wyken Croft, Wyken, admitted two counts of possession of a knife in a public place (Riley Square).

He was handed an 18-week prison sentence suspended for a year and ordered to pay £185 court costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

Reece Grant, 24, of Mapleton Road, Hall

Green, admitted stealing a car in Coventry.

He was sent to prison for 12 weeks due to “record of previous offending” and was ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

Brian Considine, 48, of Friar Street, Warwick, admitted assault by beating, failing to answer bail, breaching a restraining order and committing an offence while subject to a suspended sentence (assault).

He was sent to prison for 20 weeks (12 weeks for new offence and eight weeks imposed from suspended sentence) and ordered to pay £100 compensation.