Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed on a preconstruction services agreement for a new £4bn battery cell manufacturing facility in Somerset.
Client Agratas, part of Indian multinational Tata, today (22 July) named the contractor as its delivery partner for the first building on its site near Bridgwater.
So-called Building One and its ancillary development comprises 244,710 square metres gross external area, and McAlpine is set to start onsite preparations in the coming weeks.
A statement from Agratas said the contractor was appointed following an extensive tender process.
Competing firms were assessed on the quality of their bids in relation to cost, capability, experience, sustainability and collaborative working.
Agratas vice president for capital projects Joe Hibbert said: “The beginning of this partnership with Sir Robert McAlpine is another pivotal moment for our nationally significant project.
“The team brings an unrivalled commitment to technical excellence, client service, sustainability and exemplary project delivery, and most importantly, they live and breathe our shared vision of placing community at the heart of everything we do.”
Building One is due to be completed in 2026. The value of McAlpine’s contract has not been disclosed.
The gigafactory is set to be the largest of its kind in the UK once it is fully operational, and by the early 2030s could provide 40 per cent of the batteries needed by the domestic car industry.
It is expected that this proportion will rapidly drop, however, as the rollout of electric vehicles continues to expand at pace.
The plant will supply related companies Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors vehicles initially, after which Agratas hopes to serve other customers.
Sir Robert McApline executive managing director for buildings Grant Findlay said: “Across our 155-year history, we have always been at the forefront of industrial change in the UK. This is why we are proud to be working with Agratas as its preferred delivery partner.
“We are aligned in our ambitions for making a long-lasting, positive impact on local communities, guided by our vision to construct a better world for future generations.”
The Agratas statement said the development of Building One will need around 2,100 construction workers at its peak.
Earlier this year, Kelston Sparkes won a three-year groundworks, earthworks and piling-mat-installation contract for the scheme.
Stantec is providing integrated design services for the factory, while Turner & Townsend has signed on for cost management services, project management for enabling works and design team procurement.
