Revised proposals for the initial phase of Somerset's ambitious £4bn gigafactory have been shown to the public for the first time. Battery maker Agratas revealed in February last year its substantial investment plans for the Gravity enterprise zone, located between Puriton and Woolavington.
This major development is set to create approximately 4,000 high-paying jobs and establish one of the largest employment hubs in Somerset.
The gigafactory will supply electric vehicle batteries to Jaguar Land Rover and has the potential to cater for up to 40% of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's domestic electric vehicle battery needs. McAlpine secured the contract for pre-construction activities at the former Royal Ordnance Factory site in late July, with their team already active on the south-western section of the site.
Somerset Council had given the green light to the original plans for the first phase, known as 'Building One', in December, paving the way for construction to advance within months. However, due to "significant progress" at the site, Agratas has put forward updated plans for this phase, which now include a new substation to power the gigafactory and the first section of an orbital road connecting to Enterprise Way and a future junction on the M5.
Residents of Woolavington had the opportunity to view the proposals in detail at a local drop-in event held at their village hall on Tuesday evening (April 1). The entire Gravity enterprise zone has been under a local development order (LDO) since December 2021, aimed at accelerating investment delivery within the site, reports .
An LDO provides planning permission for suitable development on a specific parcel of land within a larger site, as long as it adheres to a detailed set of conditions regarding the design and use of buildings in a particular area.
Thanks to this LDO (which will stay in effect until 2037), plans can be approved by planning officers without requiring a public decision by the council's north planning committee (which manages major applications within the former Sedgemoor area).
Under the revised phase one proposals, 'Building One' will be 84 metres shorter than initially planned (a reduction of approximately 12,000 sq m of floorspace) due to newly discovered "efficiencies in the manufacturing processes".
The land saved by this reduction will be utilised to "provide a larger landscaped area to the south", mitigating the urbanising impact of the development and enhancing the wider site's sustainability.
The redesign of a key facility will result in a 19% reduction in energy consumption and a 25% decrease in water usage, potentially saving over 3,750 tonnes of CO2 during construction.
The site's footprint has been optimised with smaller ancillary structures, such as canteens and offices realigned or downsized accordingly, and the initial southern car park has now been relocated northwards to maintain access into the southern part of Building One.
The volume of parking remains unchanged, featuring 562 standard spaces, 76 electric vehicle charging points, and dedicated areas for car sharing, motorcycles, contractors, and disabled use.
A spokesperson for Agratas said: "With the proposed changes to the building, the parking, walking and cycling facilities are extended and relocated so they remain close to the building.
"Bus stops have been relocated to maintain short walking distances between the stop and the staff access doors. Employees cycling to work will benefit from off-road cycle routes within the site and cycle shelters close to entrance doors for securing their bikes, as well as showers and changing facilities, drying areas and lockers within the building.
"Pedestrian and cycle access from Building One will link to a pedestrian/ cycle path on the new ring road, as well as connecting to the proposed village enhancement scheme path that links Puriton to Woolavington."
The southern section of the orbital road is set to connect the site to Enterprise Way and a forthcoming National Grid substation, which will ultimately supply the majority of power for the gigafactory and the broader Gravity site.
The northern part of the orbital road will be constructed at a later phase of the overall construction programme, linking up to a planned new Junction 22A (to be delivered by National Highways). A further public consultation on the proposals will take place at the soon-to-be-expanded Puriton Primary School on Saturday (April 5) between noon and 2pm.
A verdict on all three revised proposals is expected to be made by the council by late-spring. If approval is given, construction of Building One could commence as early as June, with the facility potentially operational by late-2027.
The construction of the orbital road is projected to start in September and be completed by autumn 2027, while the new substation might not be finished until 2028, even if work begins in autumn 2025.
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