Kwasi Kwarteng, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, visited Coventry Airport to understand the case for a Gigafactory on the site. Accompanied by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, the Secretary of State, said that Coventry Airport ‘makes a huge amount of sense’ as the location for a Gigafactory in the UK.

A Gigafactory at Coventry Airport would create at least 4,500 new jobs, as well as tens of thousands in the supply chain. Coventry Airport Ltd and Coventry City Council have formed a Joint Venture partnership to bring forward a planning application for the site.

This would rapidly speed up the time needed for a Gigafactory to become operational, and make the sit significantly more attractive to potential investors. Discussions are already ongoing with several car manufacturers and battery suppliers to understand their requirements, with a planning application set to be submitted later this year.