Rugby MP calls on PM to support Coventry 'Gigafactory' project

Rugby MP Mark Pawsey called on the Prime Minister to support proposals for a new Gigafactory at Coventry Airport during last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Pawsey reminded the Prime Minister that he had previously asked him in June 2021 to lend his support to the project, arguing that it would create more than 6,000 jobs and provide a boost to automotive manufacturing in the West Midlands.

The outline planning application for the Gigafactory has recently been approved by Warwick District Council and Coventry City Council, paving the way for the project to become reality.

It is planned that the factory will be ready to manufacture high-tech lithium-ion batteries for the global automotive and energy storage industries by 2025 and will have the capacity to deliver up to 60GWh by the end of the decade.

Mr Pawsey who has been a longstanding supporter of both the automotive industry in Warwickshire and the West Midlands and the switch to electric vehicles, argues that ensuring this factory is delivered is critical to the long-term future of car manufacturing in West Midlands.

In his question to the Prime Minister, Mr Pawsey highlighted the employment and economic figures which had been announced and asked Boris Johnson to support the £2.5 billion investment and the switch to cleaner, greener electric vehicles that it represents.

The Prime Minister thanked Mr Pawsey for his support and campaigning for the Gigafactory and praised the proposal for Coventry Airport as “an excellent one, and I look forward to seeing how it develops.”

After Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Pawsey said: “The Coventry Gigafactory, which represents a joint venture between Coventry Airport and Coventry City Council worth billions to our local economy, is a vital part of the future of manufacturing in the West Midlands.

"Having a reliable, domestic supply of electric vehicle batteries will not only make it more attractive for future investment in the sector but also safeguards the industry from disruption.

“Securing this Gigafactory will not only create 6,000 jobs directly on-site, but also create and protect many thousands more in the wider economy, including here in Rugby.

"As chair of the All-Party Manufacturing Group and a member of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, I know that the supply chains in the automotive sector create and support many thousands of jobs throughout Rugby and Warwickshire.

"It is therefore vital that we continue to invest in the sector as it transitions from internal combustion to electric vehicles.

“I am pleased that the Prime Minister and the Government are supporting the switch to electric vehicles, which is a key part of the UK’s strategy to achieve net-zero by 2050.

"The West Midlands has a long history of leading automotive innovation and I firmly believe that this Gigafactory, combined with the investment of the London Electric Vehicle Company at Ansty Park and Jaguar Land Rover’s historic connection to our region, will lead the way in manufacturing the next generation of electric vehicles.”