SOMERSET will be home to a new Tata Group’s multi-billion-pound electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility, it was confirmed today (Wednesday, February 28).

Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, has confirmed that it will build a gigafactory on the Gravity Smart Campus in Puriton in what will be a £4 billion investment.

A significant land holding has been acquired at Gravity, making Agratas the first and primary occupier on the site.

The 40 GWh factory, which will create up to 4,000 new jobs, is set to be the biggest battery factory in the country.

It is believed that by the early 2030s will contribute almost half of the projected battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK automotive sector.

Councillor Bill Revans, leader of Somerset Council, said: “This is momentous for the county, its economy and for future generations.

“It’s about seizing an incredible opportunity to be at the heart of the UK’s green energy industry that will create thousands of highly-skilled, well-paid, green jobs.”

Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater and Taunton College, welcomed the news and said: “I’m delighted by this announcement and what it means for our community and the wider region.

“We’ve got a great deal of experience in workforce development - big infrastructure projects like Hinkley Point C.

“We can draw on that experience. We’ve been here and we’ve done this and Agratas can be tremendously confident in our community and in our workforce.

To realise the transformative potential of the gigafactory, Agratas will work closely with local and regional partners, including Somerset Council, Bridgwater and Taunton College, and the wider Gravity Smart Campus, to deliver bespoke education and training programmes in the region, creating local jobs for local people.

The factory itself will create up to 4,000 new high-skilled green tech jobs in the area, with many thousands more expected to be created in the UK supply chain.

Emma Rawlings, chief executive of Somerset Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is fantastic news for Bridgwater, Somerset, and the wider South West.

“It will bring a huge economic boost to the area, thousands of new jobs, investment in skills and scores of supply chain opportunities.

“It puts Somerset, its businesses, and its workforce at the heart of the green revolution to switch from fossil fuel vehicles to electric vehicles and secures a home-grown supply chain, without the need to rely on imports.

“Somerset businesses are already familiar with the Hinkley Point C supply chain so are well placed to provide expertise for the gigafactory.

“And as car makers are already switching their production vehicles to all-electric, having capacity in the UK to produce batteries will almost certainly attract additional investment from the automotive industry.

“This is a massive vote of confidence in Somerset, the South West and UK.”

Tom Flack, CEO, Agratas, said: “Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to Somerset, helping to supercharge Britian’s transition to electric mobility whilst creating thousands of jobs in the process.

“We care deeply about the communities we operate in, so it’s imperative to us that we work with, and listen to, our new neighbours as we build our factory in Somerset.

“That’s why we’ll be holding an event for residents very soon, so we can share more about our plans and introduce our team to the community.”

Preliminary works on the site are in progress, with piling to establish the factory’s foundations set to start in Spring.

Construction will be completed in phases, with battery production set to begin in 2026.

JLR and Tata Motors will be Agratas’ first customers.

Agratas also plans to create batteries for other applications, including two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, as well as commercial energy storage solutions.

The news follows an announcement made by Tata Group last year that it would establish Agratas, a new subsidiary, and that the UK would be home to the company’s first gigafactory outside India.

Thousands of residents living near the site of the future gigafactory campus are set to receive a leaflet through the post this week, introducing Agratas to the community.

In addition to providing insight into Agratas’ plans, the leaflet invites people to follow Agratas’ community WhatsApp channel for regular updates on the site’s progress.

As part of a community-first approach, Agratas will also hold an introductory event in the coming weeks for residents to learn more about Agratas’ plans and meet the team.