Gigafactory land will secure investment - officials

Britishvolt had planned to produce batteries for electric cars in Cambois, near Blyth

Officials from a council's development company insist the site of a proposed gigafactory will attract investment in the future.

Plans for a Britishvolt site, to produce electric car batteries at Cambois in Blyth, are currently stalled after the start-up company went into administration.

A proposed £8.6m takeover by Australian firm Recharge Industries is yet to materialise, with the company missing several deadlines to pay an outstanding sum of cash.

However, Advance Northumberland officials said they were confident the site would "secure a significant investment at some point in time".

Advance Northumberland is a dedicated regeneration company wholly owned by Northumberland County Council.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting of the council’s corporate services and economic growth scrutiny committee, officials gave an update on the current situation.

There was even praise for the work carried out by Britishvolt prior to its collapse.

Advance Northumberland's director of economic growth, Michael Black, said Britishvolt had "succeeded on a number of levels".

“They secured power and planning permission and carried out ground investigations," he said. "We have a lot of knowledge about that site.

“It will secure a significant investment at some point in time. It is about making sure it is the right thing at the right time.”

'Greatest opportunities'

Bedlington West councillor Malcolm Robinson, who is non-aligned, questioned whether any future project on the site would be the promised gigafactory.

Mr Robinson was concerned the site could be carved up with smaller “piecemeal” developments, replacing the previous proposals.

Mr Black said: “It is a council-owned site. We’re working very closely with the council but it is a question mainly for the council.

“We will support whatever the council wants to do. Fundamentally, it is one of the greatest opportunities that Northumberland has.

“It is called the gigafatory site and everyone would like to see a gigafactory. The market will play a large role in that."

He added that Advance Northumberland had "regular meetings" with government because the site was "deemed to be that important.”