The Coventry Gigapark scheme is being promoted as a leading project nationally, with developers already fielding considerable enquiries about the initiative.

These remarks emerged at a meeting of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, where officers presented progress on Investment Zone proposals.

Senior figures stated that the three sites across Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton are anticipated to generate significant outcomes in the coming years.

The meeting addressed the Coventry-Warwick Gigapark located at Coventry Airport alongside the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter and the Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor.

Committee members were informed that meaningful progress was underway at all three locations.

The Coventry-Warwick Gigapark at Coventry Airport will house a new battery manufacturing facility along with associated businesses and technologies. The site will benefit from tax breaks, business rates retention and a £23m investment for land decontamination, infrastructure and electricity grid connections.

Steve Bowyer, Head of WM Investment, described the Coventry and Warwick Investment Zone as a substantial development with genuine potential to become a national leader in battery manufacturing and electric vehicle supply chains. He noted that the volume of enquiries being received was considerable now that planning consent had been secured, suggesting this was not an exaggeration.

The Birmingham Knowledge Quarter will extend northeastwards from Birmingham City and Aston universities through Duddeston and Nechells towards Aston.

The Quarter will receive tax incentives, business rates retention and £9m for public space improvements and sustainable travel infrastructure to help attract investment.

The Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor will develop emerging green industries and capabilities through partnership between the local council and university sector, with £7m allocated for land remediation and necessary infrastructure.