- Government to invest £35 million to help thriving £70 billion automotive sector
- Highly-skilled automotive and advanced manufacturing jobs will be created
- Investment will also improve industrial transport links on the A45, including a new bridge to connect Whitley South to the existing Jaguar Land Rover engineering centre and Global HQ.
An expanded automotive business zone in Whitley, near Coventry, is set to become home to nearly 3,000 highly-skilled engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs, following a £35 million in government investment, as announced by Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark.
The new 24-hectare site, known as the Whitley South Infrastructure Project, will open up new growth opportunities for local manufacturers and businesses. It is expected businesses will be on site and hiring from 2017/18.
It is being developed with support from Coventry and Warwickshire LEP (CWLEP), Warwick District Council and Coventry City Council, who secured local contributions of £10 million to secure the project.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:
“Our world-class auto sector is leading the way and this new development will create thousands more skilled jobs. It shows how private and public sector can work together to make a difference to the economy.
“That’s why every member of my ministerial team has been appointed as a local growth champion, to work with local enterprise partnerships like CWLEP to support key opportunities and increase prosperity.”
The new funding will also improve local industrial transport links, connecting the site with the A45, and constructing a new bridge to join the new development with an existing Jaguar Land Rover engineering centre.
To coincide with the announcement, CWLEP has announced it will publish its refreshed Strategic Economic Plan, which includes ‘Unlocking our Growth Potential’ and underlining the importance of funding the Whitley South Infrastructure Project.
Speaking ahead of a visit to manufacturing company AMT Expert, Business Minister Margot James said:
“The resurgence of advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry in the West Midlands is a real success story.
“It’s vital we maintain this momentum and keep creating high-skilled jobs and don’t let any opportunity slip through our fingers. Today’s £35 million investment unlocks land that will help to cement the region as a leading destination for investment.”
