Businesses in limbo over Cov gigafactory plan fears
for a Coventry car battery factory appear to have been ditched, the BBC reports.
Imminent plans for Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Group to build a gigafactory elsewhere would be a hammer blow to the city.
The expected kick in the teeth, despite years of anticipation for the city, has left businesses at Coventry Airport, where the factory would have been built, in limbo about the future, the BBC says.
Tata Group is expected to choose Somerset for the gigafactory.
This comes despite the fact outline planning permission for the factory at part of Coventry Airport was given last year.
There is still some optimism. Coventry City Council is hopeful another battery manufacturer could still move in.
Yet Aerotech, which has been located at the airport for a quarter of a century, told the BBC recent uncertainty about the plans has scuppered its ability to look ahead.
Director Stephen Clark said: “We are now faced with having to try and relocate, which as you can tell with airports becoming fewer and far between, like ourselves here, is almost impossible for us to do.”
The outline permission was granted amid hopes of 6,000 new jobs on the site.
Senior Labour councillor for St Michael’s ward Jim O’boyle told the BBC: “[We need] not just one gigafactory in the country.
“We need six or seven. We are in the running and this is about making sure we’ve got a sustainable manufacturing industry of motor cars in this country, not today, but for the next 30 or 40 years.”
It is widely reported that Somerset will be chosen by Tata very shortly - and get sizeable government support. Tata was believed to be considering another site in Spain. Tata has not commented on the Somerset rumours despite reports Rishi Sunak is involved in talks to bring it to the UK.