The city council says the intention is for Coventry to be at the forefront of a “green industrial revolution”
A CGI showing what the proposed gigafactory at Coventry Airport could look like(Image: Influence Associates)
There’s “clear market demand” for a new gigafactory at Coventry Airport, the city council said as it dismissed doubts about the viability of the project.
The authority says the intention is for Coventry to lead the “green industrial revolution.”
Deputy Leader Lynnette Kelly addressed concerns over the Greenpower Park development and says the council is confident its aims will be achieved. It’s in talks with a number of companies who are interested into moving onto the site, she said.
Cllr Kelly, who is the Cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, says most of the demand comes from the electric vehicle industry where 90 per cent of the battery market lies.
Greenpower Park is a public-private joint venture between Coventry City Council and Rigby Group with stated aims to provide a £2.5billion centre of excellence for battery technology, advanced manufacturing and clean energy innovation.
In a written statement responding to written questions by Cllr Jennifer Wells (Reform, Bablake), her Shadow Cabinet counterpart, Cllr Kelly said gigafactories were “both necessary and capable of delivering substantial economic and employment benefits.”
She stated: “Coventry’s strong manufacturing base and supply chain means there will be job creation and retention well beyond the site itself. The city wants to be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution.”
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Cllr Kelly said a report on Sector-wide UK Battery Demand Projections to 2035 had identified the “clear market demand and strategic need for further gigafactory development.”
In addition, the independent UK Gigafactory Commission report on Britain’s Battery Future concluded that gigafactories are a strategic national infrastructure priority, essential to securing the UK automotive sector.
Cllr Kelly says those leading the joint venture are “confident that significant benefits from the development of the former airport site will be delivered including significant inward investment and high quality job creation for the city and wider region.”
She said she believed only three businesses remain at the airport, which closed in June, and these were due to leave the site by mid-September. All directly employed airport staff had been either offered new jobs with airport owners Rigby Group or enhanced redundancy terms, she said.
“The council remains confident that the aspirations of the Investment Zone and Greenpower Park will be achieved,” she added. “Whilst we cannot disclose names we are currently in dialogue with a number of companies, including foreign battery manufacturers and other advanced manufacturing companies attracted by the Investment Zone status of the site and its strategic location.”
But Cllr Wells claimed in her written question that “long-standing tenants face upheaval with little notice or appropriate alternatives.” She argued that there were 30 “devastated” businesses still operating on the site and that their interests had been “marginalised.”
“The current development plans risk losing this historic airport site forever for a gigafactory whose future, in today’s difficult UK battery market, remains very uncertain,” Cllr Wells said.
At a full meeting of the city council, Cllr Kelly responded to further questions about the airport amid fears it would become a “costly white elephant”.
She added she was prepared to meet and assist any businesses who were in difficulties at the airport as they struggled to relocate to new premises.
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