Derby: Plans submitted for Rolls-Royce site revamp

The Raynesway site is already a major manufacturing operation for Rolls-Royce Submarines

A huge redevelopment of a Rolls-Royce site is planned to support the firm's nuclear submarine contracts.

The firm says the plans to double the size of the site in Raynesway, Derby, would create more than 1,000 jobs.

Manufacturing, office and storage floorspace will be created on land the size of 10 football pitches if permission is granted.

In addition, an 887-space multi-storey car park would be created over the Midland Mainline in St Modwen Park.

This would be accessed via a new footbridge.

It will allow the redevelopment and expansion of the Spondon campus, currently home to existing Rolls-Royce manufacturing buildings, surface car parking, BOC Gases and Star Micronics.

Five buildings would be demolished to make way for the new facilities, with others repurposed.

If given the green light by Derby City Council, the work will take place over nine years, to be completed by 2032.

An expansion and redevelopment is required, says Rolls-Royce

It would allow Rolls-Royce to fulfil Royal Navy contracts awarded in 2019 worth £235m, and Ministry of Defence (MoD) contracts to supply the Australian Department of Defence awarded in 2022 worth £2bn.

Rolls-Royce Submarines president Steve Carlier said: "This commitment of funding to our existing expansion work shows the trust Australia places on our nuclear expertise and our ability to deliver.

"We look forward to working with the Australian Submarine Agency to support them in building their own fleet of nuclear-powered submarines."

Royal Navy support

The council's planning control committee is due to rule on the application on 4 April.

Existing work currently carried out at the nuclear-licenced site will continue after the redevelopment, should it be approved by planners.

This includes support for the Royal Navy's existing submarine fleet and supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programmes.

To support preparation for the Australian fleet contract and to meet the additional commitments to the MoD, Rolls-Royce recently announced the opening of two satellite offices in Glasgow and Cardiff, each creating more than 100 jobs.

Rolls-Royce also opened a new nuclear skills academy in Derby in 2022, to provide 200 apprenticeships each year for at least the next decade.