Proposals for an EV battery gigafactory at Coventry Airport have accelerated following the launch of a public consultation.
Coventry City Council is now looking for the views of residents and the local community on the project, which is a joint venture between the council and owners of Coventry Airport, the Rigby Group.
Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council, said: “The launch of the public consultation marks a significant step forward as we prepare a planning application for a gigafactory at Coventry Airport.
“Coventry, at the heart of the UK automotive sector, has access to talent, world-leading research centres and a mature supply chain, all of which are critical to delivering a gigafactory.
“I encourage residents and the local community to review the early proposals as we continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we secure a gigafactory and the future of automotive production in Coventry and Warwickshire.”
The deadline for feedback is 06 June, if positive then a planning application is expected to be submitted in the coming months.
The Faraday Institution, an independent research institution, estimates that a failure to build a UK battery supply chain could cost more than 100,000 jobs by 2040.
According to the council, a gigafactory at Coventry Airport could generate at least 4,500 jobs, as well as tens of thousands more roles across the supply chain, and represent an investment of up to £2bn in the West Midlands.
The project added that Coventry and Warwickshire has emerged as a centre of excellence for battery technology and has successfully facilitated the delivery of the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, working with a local partnership which includes WMG at Warwick University and the Advanced Propulsion Centre.
